“Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 7482 will be selling Buddy Poppies in shopping areas throughout South Whidbey on Friday and Saturday, May 19 and 20.Proceeds from the sale of Buddy Poppies benefit needy veterans and the widows and orphans of deceased veterans in the local community, said Post Commander Peter Furman, Sr.The VFW began the national campaign in 1923, and the tradition continues today, with more than 18 million poppies assembled by paid, disabled and hospitalized veterans each year. The members of the VFW raise more than $15 million annually from the sale of Buddy Poppies.Founded in 1899, the VFW is the nation’s oldest major veterans organization. Its more than 2.1 million members include 1.1 million veterans of World War II, 526,000 Vietnam veterans and some 426,000 Korean veterans. The remaining members come from American military actions in Haiti, Somalia, the Persian Gulf, Panama and Lebanon, as well as expeditionary and occupation forces.”