May is traditionally known as “Buddy Poppy Month,” across the nation.
In Henryetta, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 539 marked that observance with a proclamation signed Thursday by mayor Michael Dickey. With him were VFW members "Rooster" Jackson and Tricia Bear. 
Post members will be distributing red buddy poppies at Walmart and Homeland May 20, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The local event is part of the annual event dating back to 1922 and is held along with the Memorial Day observance. The Buddy Poppy was designed to honor all of the soldiers in all of the wars, and it is the National flower of the National Memorial Day. All donations made to the VFW thru red buddy poppy drive helps veterans in so many ways. On May 26 at 9 a.m. VFW members will distribute poppy boards to local area businesses
Henryetta’s VFW helps veterans get their VA benefits, distributes food at the Feed the Vets program every 90 days, maintains all of the flags on Main Street, and we also sponsor the annual District 7 VFW Loyalty Days Family Freedom Festival to promote the American Spirit and community service.
In addition to those projects, the VFW places bronze military tombstone foot markers on the graves of soldiers, place flags on all military veterans graves at several cemeteries in Henryetta as well as the surrounding area cemeteries. Those flags will be placed May 27 at 10 a.m. in preparation for Memorial Day.
The annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held Monday, May 29 at 10 a.m. at the Veterans section at Westlawn Cemetery.

A nearly mile-long funeral procession escorted Brittany Brewer to the cemetery where she was laid to rest Wednesday morning. The 15--year-old was one of six people killed by Jesse McFadden last week.
Her funeral was held at the Henryetta high school gym that was filled with friends, family and area residents still trying to cope with the horrific crime that left more questions than answeres after the convicted rapist killed himself after taking the lives of his wife, her children, Brewer and her classmate Ivy Webster.
The white coffin was carried to Westlawn cemetery by a horse-drawn wagon with family and friends acting as pallbearers walking behind.

Three teachers at Henryetta public schools announced their retirement and two more resigned Monday at the May school board meeting.
Beverly Kiehl, Laura Morris and Sherry Eldridge submitted their resignations announcing their retirements. Gary Joice and Jarrad Westmoreland, both assistant football coaches and para professionals, also announced they would not be part of the school system when classes resume in August.
Following a short executive session, the board hired Todd McGuire as assistant football coach.
Most of the meeting dealt with approval of agreement including memberships, policy and services agreement with the Oklahoma State School Board Association, renewed service, treasurer and payroll services with OCAS.
The board renewed the Head Start Agreement with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation for the coming year.
High school principal read off the coming activities for seniors as the school year comes to an end.
That includes the scholarship awards assembly Tuesday morning, athletic awards that evening, baccalaureate services Wednesday and graduation Sunday afternoon.
The tragic events of this past week were addressed with Stickland reminding everyone that funeral services for Brittany Brewer would be held Wednesday morning at 10 at the high school gymnasium.
Board members were also affected by the event with each giving words of sympathy.

The families of Ivy Webster and Brittany Brewer were on hand Friday at the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce legislative forum. They grilled State Rep. Scott Fetgatter about how the law failed to protect their daughters and urged him to come up with solutions so a tragedy such as this would never happen again.
The two girls were among the six slain by convicted sex offender Jesse McFadden.