VFW poppy purveyors: Post office kicked us out

HENRIETTA, N.Y. – War veterans and their supporters say a western New York post office has banned their time-honoured tradition of handing out red artificial poppies as a fundraiser.

According to WHEC , Dan Lindsay of the Rice-Hallick VFW Post 5465 says he was ordered to leave, despite verbal approval to distribute poppies in front of the Henrietta post office.

Lindsay says last year’s 12-day Veterans of Foreign Wars poppy fundraiser outside the post office raised about $4,000. This year, the post got $25 before it was kicked out.

The postal service says veterans’ groups are among “many worthy organizations,” but none may solicit on postal property.

Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo (dih-NAHL’-foh) has asked the post office to reconsider. Meanwhile, the county invited the VFW to offer its poppies at the motor vehicles office.

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Information from: WHEC-TV, http://www.10nbc.com