North Bellmore Kids Supply Smiles to Veterans

This past Valentine's Day, the children of Jacob Gunther Elementary School were busy fashioning cards featuring messages of love and appreciation.

However, these valentines weren't for their parents or their secret crushes -- instead, they were for our nation's veterans.

Marie Testa said that the North Bellmore kids have been participating in the national "Valentines for Vets" program since before she started as principal of Gunther six years ago.

"The North Bellmore school district has core values that help to support children to learn how to be empathetic people ... we're trying to grow kind and respectful people," she said. "One of the events that we participate in to try and build that is Valentines for Vets with councilman Gary Hudes. The children create valentines for service men and women to honor them for what they've done for our country."

The program typically takes place between Feb. 11 and Feb. 16. The children write letters which are then picked up from the school and distributed to veterans at local hospitals.

Sixth district councilman Gary Hudes, R-Levittown, has been involved with Valentines for Vets for more than eight years now, collecting cards from North Bellmore schools and delivering them to the Country Agency of Veterans, who then send the cards to where they feel they are needed.

"The nice thing about Valentines for Vets is that the children have an opportunity to bring some smiles and happiness to veterans that are in the hospital," Hudes said. "They may be far away from their families, and to be sitting alone in a hospital on Valentine's Day and be able to open a package and see all the really neat and fun things that kids might write and to have that bring a smile to their face is a really positive thing."

Thursday morning, councilman Hudes arrived at Gunther elementary to deliver a special certificate to the children there for their part in making Valentine's Day special for people they had never even met.

However, Hudes brought a guest in an effort to rectify that: U.S. Marine and Vietnam veteran Andrew Booth was also on hand to express his appreciation on behalf of those how had served their country.

"I was asked by councilman Hudes to come here today and thank the children for the cards that they sent to the veterans," he said. "The students don't realize how much value that is to the veterans ... the vets that are in the hospitals that receive these cards are very appreciative. The problem is that they can't come here to thank them."

After the presentation of the certificate and speeches by both Hudes and Booth, the children posed for a group photo that will be displayed on the flat screen television in Gunther's lobby for all to see.

Brianna Buonauro of Mrs. Horvath's third-grade class enjoyed participating in Valentines for Vets.

"It makes me feel good," she said. "Everyone got to make one valentine for each veteran."

Sabrina Iraggi summed up how helping out vets made her feel with one word.

"Proud," she said, smiling.

According to Booth, heartwarming acts like this have given many despondent vets a brighter outlook for the future.

"I was always worried that the veterans were on the way to being forgotten," he said. "But with stuff like this going on, it's bringing back hope that there's respect coming back for the veterans."