Students at APSU wanted to do more than just fundraising for veterans this year. On Wednesday, Feb. 3, students and their families were invited to make cards to send veterans love on Valentine’s Day.
APSU’s Adult and Nontraditional Student Center, Student Veterans Organization and Hispanic Cultural Center collaborated to host the event.
In addition to the guests, each organization had at least one representative present.
Adult and Nontraditional Student Center coordinator Martha Harper said the event was intended to appeal to children as well.
“We always try to host family oriented activities,” said Harper. “It is important for young children especially to be exposed to events like this so they will view service to others as a cultural norm.”
Around 20 students and their children came to decorate cards.
Volunteers got creative with the wide variety of art supplies provided. They wanted to be sure the veterans got plenty of love and glitter.
Before Valentine’s Day, the cards will be hand delivered to the Tennessee State Veterans’ Home on Arrowood Drive.
“We like to provide veterans with the help they need locally, especially the ones that live far from their family,” said Student Veterans Organization representative and sophomore and social work major Wesley Grubbs. “This is a huge opportunity to volunteer, but instead of from a distance we can work side by side with them to show them they are not forgotten.”
The volunteers wanted to offer emotional support in addition to the many fundraisers that go on around APSU to help veterans.
The organizations that hosted the event hope to send a message to the student body that service activities are not club oriented, but ways to show respect for those who benefit from the service.
“I love crafting, so I like this. I’m also doing this because my boyfriend is a veteran and I know he would appreciate something like this. I like seeing all the people here who gave up their time to send love to those who may not feel loved,” said junior psychology major Bobby Zbierajewski.
Most volunteers had a specific veteran they were honoring through the service. Each of them wanted to remind nearby veterans that APSU cares about them.
Volunteers from the student body and the community could use this as an opportunity to get service hours as well. Freshman special education major Meghan Egan brought her brother to get service hours for his school.
“My step dad is a veteran and I always try to serve veterans because of that,” said Egan. “I brought my brother here not only because he needed service hours but I want him to be creative and meet people who value serving veterans.”
