On Feb. 13, Cardozo’s NJROTC program, along with the journalism program, united to help distribute donations to various veterans located at New York State Veterans Home in St. Albans, Queens. This tradition is in partnership with Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, who is the assemblyman for district 26.
Victoria Townes, a specialist for the center for development and civic engagement, welcomed the students with a warm smile, expressing her gratitude to the Cardozo students, voicing, “You are impactful, you make a difference.”
“It is in partnership and in collaboration with community organizations. To let our veterans know that the sacrifices they made have not been forgotten, that it’s still greatly appreciated, that their needs and their desires and concerns are still being met by community organizations like yourself,” she expressed.
She explained how veterans want to feel good after their time of service, and every friendly face is meaningful to them. “We have some veterans who don’t have any family members and that your donations of clothing, toiletry items impact their daily lives. I mean it’s awesome, you go to the bathroom and you take a shower with your bath and body work or whatever, but our veterans want the same thing.”
Every act of kindness is important to ensure the veterans always remember how grateful Americans are. “They want awesome sweaters that they can still move around in here and still feel purposeful that they still are okay. As opposed to being in a hospital in pajamas, so your clothing donations allow them to feel good.”
Townes has been helping for 34 years, and is committed to her job, making it her life-long job, and she loves seeing the veterans smile.
“One of my favorite things, is to see them smile, to hear them crack a joke, just to know that you guys are here, to see the heartfelt appreciation, for the thoughtfulness, of a group who’s never met them, but yet you thought enough about them that you came today, and that you brought a donation to let them know that they’re not forgotten,” she reflected.
Townes also acknowledged that the land she stands on, was fought for by valiant soldiers to keep peace in the community she serves.
“Freedom is not free, in order for you to be safe where you are today, walking to the mall, going on the bus, hanging out, some veteran, somewhere, on the foreign ground, in the dead of the night, not knowing where his enemy is, but he was willing and he committed to standing on his post, so that we could be safe and so that we could be free. I thank them so much for their courage and their sacrifice,” she said.
Edward Braunstein, NY State Assembly Member, hosts the event every year, continuing the tradition started by Assemblywoman Caroza.
“We wanted to give the community an opportunity to show their appreciation to the veterans,” Braunstein stated. “I think it’s important for not just students but all Americans to take a minute and recognize how lucky we are.”
Braunstein continued to express his gratitude for the many veterans who fought for our country through his thankful words, “freedom is not free, people fought for some of the rights and liberties that we have, and those individuals are still in our community, so we should take a moment and say thank you.”
The feeling of being seen and recognized for their service means a lot to the veterans, making seeing the interaction of the students with the veterans Braunstein’s favorite part of the events.
“I think the veterans like to see the younger generation understanding why it’s important to recognize them and that’s my favorite part of the event, seeing the younger generation interact with them,” he said.
Chief Tao Chen, one of the leaders of the NJROTC program, spoke about life after serving, saying, “They have paved the way of life for us to enjoy. I feel a lot of connection with those that serve. There are often times after service, people forget about you, and forget about all the deeds and sacrifices that you made, and having these cadets come here to show their appreciation it’s a sense of fulfillment for the veterans.”
Sharing and spreading awareness of the service the veterans have done for America is important to Chief, he said, “This event brings a lot of awareness not just to our program but when we post on social media, it allows the Cardozo community to see the importance of recognizing the selfless service and also the importance of serving not just in your community but in our country.”
Chief is also grateful for the work of the courageous soldiers who currently serve and have served, “I truly appreciate, and I thank every service member that has raised their right hand to protect, our nation — foreign and domestic — and the legacy that they leave behind.”
Valentine’s Day is not a day for celebrating just your significant other, but also a day to celebrate your friends, your family, and those who risked their lives to allow the country to celebrate the holiday peacefully. Veterans often go under appreciated for all they do, which is why an event like Valentine’s for Vets is important, as it allows for students to show their gratitude for those who served our country.
