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Students Brighten Veterans' Holiday

In the Loop photo by SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

Joseph Ziemianek, resident at Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home, accepts a present from Pine View Elementary School fifth-grader Logan Brown. Students at the school collected about 110 boxes worth of donations of crossword puzzles, pens, lotions, tissues and other items to wrap and give to the residents.

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By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

In The Loop

Published: December 25, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Pine View Elementary School students bridged the gap between young and old while visiting the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land O' Lakes recently.

Students collected items for the veterans, including crossword puzzles, pens, magazines, soaps, lotions, tissues and magnifying glasses and then wrapped them in shoeboxes and handed them out to residents.

Heather Ware and Amy Alexander are teachers at Pine View and also co-chairwomen for the student council, which spearheaded the project.

"We asked the kids at the school to donate and this is what they brought in," Ware said. "We had 110 boxes full of donations, so we gave out 40 shoeboxes full of the presents and two large boxes with the extras so they can give them out as they are needed."

The school's chorus also provided a little holiday cheer thanks to music teacher Dennis Rowan. He said he helped organize the event because he thought veterans deserved it because they sacrificed so much for America.

Resident Whidey Price said it was the highlight of his day when the students sang a traditional Christmas song.

"I liked the singing," Price said. "I loved it when they sang 'Silent Night.' The present was really nice, too."

Student Council members Logan Brown, 10, and Haley Anderson, 10, stayed late after school one day to help wrap the presents and were first in line to hand them out to residents. Brown said he thought the veterans deserved the presents, which is why he helped.

"They don't get as many presents so we thought it would be nice to give them presents filled with things they can use," Logan said. "It was nice because instead of helping people our age, we are helping older people."

Haley said she thought it was a good experience.

"We got to see the people who served our country and give them presents," Haley said.

Jean Resseger said she was happy to see what the students brought because it was all stuff she could use.

"They were thoughtful gifts," Resseger said. "I need all the stuff that is in here. I also really liked the singing. They were adorable."

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