VFW Post 2718 to host contactless poppy drive

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Every year before Memorial Day, the VFW Pot 2718 in Franklin Square holds a Buddy Poppy Drive to raise money for veterans in need, but was unable to this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, however, the organization is bringing it back for Veterans’ Day.

The contactless poppy drive will be held on Nov. 7 and 8 in front of the VFW Post, at 68 Lincoln Rd., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All of the donations collected will be used to help veterans and current members of the United States Armed Forces, as well as their families.

The VFW purchases the poppies from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of New York Headquarters, and the poppies are shipped directly to the Franklin Square Post from various Veterans’ Affairs hospitals throughout the country. The cost of the order is used to pay the disabled and needy veterans who assemble the bouquets at the hospitals, and a small portion of the cost of the flowers goes to support the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home for Children in Eaton Rapids, Mich.

All of the donations collected from the Post’s drive are then placed in the Post’s Relief Fund for:

The aid, assistance, relief and comfort of needy or disabled veterans or members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, as well as the widows and orphans of deceased veterans.

The maintenance and expansion of the VFW NAtional Home and other facilities devoted to the benefit and welfare of the dependents, widows, and orphans of disabled, needy or deceased veterans or members of the Armed Forces.

Necessary expenses in providing entertainment, care and assistance to hospitalized veterans or members of the Armed Forces.

Veterans’ rehabilitation, welfare and service work.

Perpetuating the memory of deceased veterans and members of the Armed Forces.

Comforting survivors.

In the past, the VFW Post has hosted disabled veteran luncheons with live entertainment featuring the talented singers of the USO, and has provided Thanksgiving baskets to military families in the community whose loved ones were deployed serving our country.

To get your poppy, customers can drive to the VFW Post for curbside pickup, visit the Post’s self-serve tables, or, Franklin Square residents could fill out and mail an order slip to the VFW Post 2718 or email VFW2718@yahoo.com, and a member of the VFW or its Auxiliary will deliver the order.

For more information, call John McManamy, Past VFW Post 2718 commander, at (516) 354 - 9393, or Christine Hillaris, auxiliary president, at (516) 903 - 0597.