Letter to the editor

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Symbol of our honored fallen

To the editor:

Memorial Day Weekend is seen by many as the start of summer. For others, it is time to reflect on our fellow Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. Every year, veterans’ service organizations set up outside local stores, on sidewalks, in town squares, to hand out remembrances of this service. The Buddy Poppy is one of these common remembrances, a symbol of our honored fallen and a tradition of the Veterans of Foreign Wars since 1922.

The red poppy symbolizes the blood shed by soldiers in defense of freedom and serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by veterans. Funds raised from Buddy Poppy distributions support veterans’ rehabilitation programs, the VFW National Home, and the welfare of dependents, widows, and orphans of veterans. Today, Buddy Poppies are assembled in multiple locations across the United States and distributed primarily around Veterans Day and Memorial Day, continuing the legacy of honoring the dead by helping the living.

Those of us who served and came home see honoring those who did not as a continuation of our duty and service. We want to take a moment to thank the Kitsap community for its generosity, congeniality, and ongoing support of veterans that makes this service possible.

Veterans of Foreign Wars

North Kitsap Weaver Post 2463