Local schools step up, brighten Valentine’s Day for veterans

In 2013, 10th Congressional District Congressman Denny Heck spearheaded a unique campaign.

His goal was to make sure local veterans were recognized and appreciated on Valentine’s Day.

Now in its third year, the program has really blossomed.

Heck thought that by bringing local students into the program it would be a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with the veterans, said Kati Rutherford, Heck’s communications director.

Turns out the veteran congressman was right.

This year, students in the 10th District created more than 5,000 valentines for local veterans, besting last year’s valentine production by approximately 3,000. Puyallup High School students designed 620 valentines for veterans, and students throughout the South Sound were busy crafting the homemade cards leading up to Saturday’s delivery.

Locally, Aylen and Ballou junior highs, Fruitland, Hunt, Carson and Zeiger elementarys and Puyallup High participated in the Valentines for Veterans program. Fruitland Elementary’s student body of 570 students produced 560 valentines, according to Lauren Adler, Pierce County coordinator for Heck.

Adler said that people in the 10th Congressional District care about veterans.

“We’re doing the project again this year to let veterans know they are appreciated and supported, not just on Valentine’s Day, but 365 days a year,” she said.

Adler said the response from area schools has been overwhelming.

At Puyallup High School, Jamie Mooring’s leadership class jumped right on the bandwagon by bringing craft supplies to the lunchroom and distributing them to students.

“They got the entire student body involved and many students did multiple valentines,” Mooring said.

Leadership class member Keely Connolly was excited about the opportunity to contribute.

“We wanted to give back to the community,” she said.

Classmate Celeste Grinnell’s father served in the U. S. Army.

“It is important for veterans to know they are loved not only on Valentine’s Day, but the whole year through,” she said.

More than 81,000 veterans live in the 10th District, Rutherford said.

The valentines were delivered by Heck and his staff to chapters of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, senior centers, Patriot’s Landing in DuPont and Galloping Gertie’s in Lakewood, where they were then distributed to veterans.

Heck said he would continue the Valentines for Veterans program in the future.

“I do this because of the look in the eye of the veterans when we deliver the valentines,” he said.

“It is also a good excuse for me to get into elementary classrooms and read ‘Green Eggs and Ham,’” he joked.