Poppy sales to benefit veterans

Monday, May 24, 1999 | 9:43 a.m.

Memorial Day is near and "Buddy Poppies" are in bloom.

The poppies, made mainly by hospitalized veterans, are distributed and sold during the weeks of Veterans Day in November and Memorial Day, May 31.

Nationally, more than 5 million poppies are distributed and sold.

"All the money collected goes to veterans -- hospitalized veterans or any veteran in need," Marjorie Lieberman, member of the Jewish War Veterans Auxiliary Post 711, said. The Poppy Drive is the largest fund-raiser of the year, she added.

The Jewish War Veterans Auxiliary Post 711 begins its annual Poppy Drive today. Members will be selling the poppies in front of various Lucky Stores. They hope to sell nearly 4,000 poppies by Saturday.

Although the organization has been selling poppies since the end of World War II, members say they are frustrated by the bigotry and anti-Semitism they face during the drive.

Among the sometimes hostile remarks, some people say they just don't want to give to a Jewish organization, Phyllis Fox, treasurer of the Jewish War Veterans Post 711 Auxiliary, said. Similar remarks are heard among many ethnic veterans groups, she added.

However, Fox said, the money goes to all veterans regardless of race or creed.

"It's for all veterans," she said. "It's not just for the Jewish war veterans."