By Rob Potter
LIBERTY —February 09, 2001 - When people think of February, probably one of the first thoughts to enter their mind is Valentine’s Day.
Scores of children at Liberty Elementary School surely know when Valentine’s Day is, and they made some special cards and notes to celebrate the occasion.
For the fifth consecutive year, students from Liberty Elementary – along with youngsters from St. Peter’s School in Liberty – created handmade Valentine’s Day cards for veterans. Additional valentines were made by Liberty High School students and those at the Senior Adult Care Center at Community General Hospital in Harris.
On Wednesday afternoon, members of the Cpl. Russell D. Sprague American Legion Post #109 Liberty, which sponsors the annual Valentines for Vets program, picked up bags and boxes filled with colorful and creative valentines.
Post #109 Chaplain and Valentines for Vets organizer Carmela Staropoli said that over 1,000 cards were made this year.
“It increases each year,” Staropoli said. “The legion members wish to extend their heart-filled thanks for remembering veterans who served their country with honor.”
The valentines will find their way to veterans at the VA Medical Centers at Albany and Castle Point. Veterans at local nursing homes will also receive some of the homemade Valentine cards.
A few children from each of the elementary classes who participated in the annual campaign were selected to place their grade’s Valentines into the large collection box. One second grader who did so was Shannon Froehlich.
And she had a very astute answer when asked why this annual program is so important.
“It makes them remember Valentine’s Day,” Froehlich said of the men and women who fought for our nation. “It’s a good thing to do.”