Veterans Day Surprise, Local veterans will get handwritten cards from students

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Local veterans will be getting a very thoughtful surprise on Veterans Day. Veterans at local nursing homes will be getting hand written letters and handmade banners from local students on Thursday. On Tuesday, some of the cards were delivered to Sims State Veterans Nursing Home in Panama City.

David Sellick with Vitas Hospice came up with the idea and delivered some of the cards to Sims Nursing Home on Tuesday afternoon. Sims is one of more than 10 nursing homes in the area that will be getting some of the cards. Sellick contacted five schools to help out with the project. Students wrote letters and made drawings for the veterans. It is a way for them to say thank you.

“It’s important for my generation, the generation they’re leaving this to, to actually feel appreciation. It makes them feel they did something,” said Sellick. “Students in third, fourth, fifth, up to eighth grade and some staff showed appreciation at the level of what these ladies and gentlemen sacrificed.”

One veteran at Sims Nursing Home got a sneak peek at the cards on Tuesday. Robert Ivey served in Vietnam and Korea, he said the cards are “marvelous” and even got emotional while reading them.

“It is wonderful, I mean it is just wonderful. I have had kids myself,” said Ivey. “To recognize a good veteran it’s just easy. It’s easy to recognize a good veteran. We have got some good ones, we have got some good veterans in here. A lot of old timers.”

Tyndall Academy wrote the cards and made the banners for Sims Nursing Home residents. Sellick said they will deliver to other area nursing homes in this week before Veterans Day. Sims Nursing Home staff tell us they will give out the cards during their Veterans Day BBQ.

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