Since 1922, Buddy Poppies have been synonymous with VFW. In the beginning, the blood red flowers were distributed to benefit widows and orphans of veterans.
VFW leaders realized early on that children who directly benefited from Buddy Poppy donations would make excellent promoters of the program. To that end, a tradition began in the 1920s to have a girl from the VFW National Home in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, annually present a Buddy Poppy to the President of the United States. Though no longer followed, this practice continued for many years.
Twins Cathy and Peggy Smith prepare for the distribution of 50,000 VFW Buddy Poppies on Veterans Day 1970 at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The Smith twins oversaw the Poppy distribution, which was undertaken by volunteers from all sororities at Old Dominion.Today, a child from the National Home is selected each year as the “Buddy Poppy Child.” He or she attends the VFW National Convention and is treated with celebrity status.
Prior to this practice, movie stars played a large role in marketing the “Flower of Remembrance.” In the 1940s and ’50s, an actress from a Hollywood motion picture studio was selected as the annual Buddy Poppy Girl. Some of the more famous starlets were Joan Leslie (1941), Jane Wyman (1942), Doris Day (1950), Virginia Mayo (1951), and Natalie Wood (1957).
Leslie recalled her role as a Buddy Poppy Girl at VFW’s 1991 National Convention in New Orleans: “When Warner Bros. cast me in patriotic films, I represented an All-American girl. I believe in the ideals VFW members stand for and fought for. Everyone holds you all in high esteem.”
The goal in recruiting movie stars was to attract the younger generation, who were thought to be lacking in patriotism at the time. The thought was that high school girls would see these Buddy Poppy Girls — female movie stars — and also want to volunteer their own time distributing poppies.
“The selection of a Buddy Poppy Girl is our tribute of appreciation to the thousands of younger women who make the success of our annual Buddy Poppy distribution possible,” VFW Adjutant General Robert B. Handy Jr., said in 1941.
The annual selection of Buddy Poppy Girls began in 1940 and ended in 1961. (No one was selected for 1960.)
Years before Hollywood stars officially partnered with VFW, Ginger Rogers did so in 1935. The R.K.O. movie star lent her celebrity status to raise awareness for the crimson flower.
While VFW no longer has ties to Hollywood stars, the Buddy Poppy program is equally successful thanks to the efforts of VFW members.
Memorial Day is a prime time for Poppy distribution. VFW is well-represented in front of grocery stores, retail stores, parks, restaurants and other locations by members looking to tell a part of the VFW story.
VFW magazine would love to see how your Post members distribute Buddy Poppies this month. Email magazine@vfw.org with your photos. Be sure to identify the people in the photo, and you may see your photo in an upcoming issue of the magazine or Checkpoint.
This article is featured in the 2026 May/June issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine.