Vets need your help

Don Reber, commander of VFW Post 8971, had an assembly line going on Wednesday morning at the Post hall.
Post and Auxiliary members were seated at a table assembling Buddy Poppies, and not a handful of them, hundreds of them, and the post needs help.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Reber said that the normal assembly of Buddy Poppies will be different this year. In the past poppies were done by residents at VA nursing homes.
“The residents had this project each year. They assembled poppies. Now with COVID restrictions we have to find a different and new means to put them together,” Reber said.
Normally the Post has the opportunity to promote Buddy Poppies and accept monetary donations from recipients in public areas.
“This year will be different. We will not have a set up in town because of COVID restrictions. However, we will be accepting donations on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Buddy Poppies are here, and given out, and paid for strictly through donations.”
The Post will be shipping Buddy Poppies to the National VFW in Kansas City, Missouri.
“We have 75,000 Buddy Poppies to assemble, and we are asking for community help. The VFW Post Hall will be opened beginning Monday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. each day and on Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. if anyone or groups would like to volunteer their time to assemble poppies,” he said.
Reber said that he already had volunteer commitments from LSUE students, St. Edmund football team members, and is now hoping for others to volunteer their time to put together the poppies.
Post members present Wednesday included Ardis Fontenot, Roy Olivier, Don Reber Thuy Reber, Laura Stagg, Sharlene Fontenot, Glenda Bergeron, Madeline Manuel, Mary Finch, and Robert Finch.
For more information, call Reber at 337-580-5444.