Spreading the love
SAGINAW – U.S. Armed Forces veteran Anthony Schrems was heading to the library when he was intercepted by four Central Michigan University volunteers armed with valentines.
Representatives from CMU’s Volunteer Center visited Schrems and other patients Tuesday at the Aleda E. Lutz Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Saginaw.
Riverview senior Amy Terry was one of the four volunteers who made the trip as part of the center’s Valentines for Veterans program.
“They seem to enjoy it and like to have visitors,” she said. “One guy said it breaks up his day.”
Terry said 11 CMU organizations and a few local schools donated the homemade cards. The Volunteer Center collected 1,108 valentines this year.
The Lutz patients embraced the students’ company.
World War II veteran Leonard Gates shared photographs from his days in the U.S. Navy with the volunteers.
“Honey, I love Valentine’s Day,” he told Melissa Bentley, the Volunteer Center’s Americorps Volunteer in Service to America, as he gave her some photos to keep.
Genevieve Groya made the visitors laugh with stories about serving in the Army with her husband.
“I got a PWOP: Pregnant Without Permission,” she said.
The medical center received about 4,000 valentines this year, said Kathy Tate, supervisor of recreation therapy at Lutz Medical Center.
In 1989, when syndicated newspaper columnist Ann Landers first encouraged readers to create valentines for hospitalized veterans, Lutz was sent more than 10,000 valentines from as far away as Germany, Tate said.
Lutz is one of five VA medical centers in Michigan, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Web site.
The past week also has brought an increased amount of visitors to Lutz.
“Usually the (most) visitors come in for Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day,” said Carrie Seward, the center’s public affairs officer.
Adrian alumnus Robbie Roesch, who works at the Volunteer Center, and Lake Isabella senior Craig Torgerson also went to deliver valentines.
It was Terry’s second time going on the trip.
“Last year was a lot more emotional, a lot more people cried,” he said. “This year they were just happy to see us.”
The extra cards not personally delivered to Lutz will be distributed to area hospitals later this week by volunteers.
