Although for many Christmas seems quite a while away, the staff, faculty, and students at Ross Medical Education Center in Ontario, Ohio know that it’s much closer than it seems. They also know that there will be United States servicemen and women that are away from their families and defending their country during the holidays. So, this fall the campus decided to do something to show their appreciation and to hopefully encourage and uplift the spirits of some of those in the armed forces.
During a recent student appreciation day that was filled with fun, laughter, and delicious food, students also set aside some time to do something for someone else. While the staff and faculty worked hard to show their students how much they appreciate each of them, those students did the same for the military forces. They decided to participate in Operation Christmas Cards during their break time. Even though they may not know the person to whom their card is sent, many of the students know someone that is either deployed currently, has been deployed, or is domestically stationed. So, this hit home for everyone.
Operation Christmas Cards is a non-profit program established by Valiant Veterans and based out of Massachusetts. Since their start in 2009, they have sent out nearly two million cards to deployed troops. Ross students learned that sometimes these cards are the only mail that troops receive from home, and they wanted to be sure that no one fighting for their country was forgotten during the holidays.
If you are interested in learning more, visit the Valiant Veterans Facebook page or their website at ValiantVeterans.org. There is still time to make cards and help support those serving in the United States Armed Forces. Submit your cards by December 1st and make sure that they follow the guidelines found on the Valiant Veterans website.