The students at Lewis-Palmer Middle School recently honored area veterans by writing letters to them for Veterans Day.

LPMS Principal Seann O’Connor asked the VFW Auxiliary to Post 7829 in Monument to distribute the students’ messages to VFW members.

“When I picked them up, I was shocked to find they had written 220 letters!” said Kathy Carlson of the VFW Auxiliary. “Due to the thoughtfulness of the students at Lewis Palmer Middle School, many Veterans’ hearts were warmed!”

Since the VFW has been meeting virtually, Carlson selected five of the letters at random, attached them to an email and sent it to all 55 local VFW members, along with Auxiliary members who have served in the military.

One of these letters, from a student named Claire, reads, “Dear Service Member, Thank you for your brave service to our country. The freedom I have today was made possible and protected by brave soldiers like yourself. People like you have fought for other people despite the sacrifices you may have had to make…”

Another letter, written by a student named, Quinn, says, “I think what you do is very brave and kind. Thank you. Please know that I will have you and all veterans in my thoughts this Veterans Day and every day.”

Another LPMS student, Carmen, write “I cannot thank you enough for your service! My family was Air Force and sometimes things got hard, but they always got better!”

In addition, to sharing some letters with the VFW membership, the VFW Auxiliary “thought the senior living centers in our area might enjoy the letters, which would be an easy way to distribute so many, providing a warm and thoughtful thanks to their veterans. So, we delivered 50 to Jackson Creek Senior Living Center, 50 to Liberty Heights and 10 to Bethesda Gardens. Since the VA Clinic seemed to be a good place to distribute 110 more, we called, but they were closed (on Veterans Day). So, I contacted Golden Corral and asked if they might want to hand them out to veterans along with the meal-and-beverage cards they were gifting to veterans. They were so excited to receive the letters!” Carlson said.

Also, the VFW Auxiliary had 50 8 1/2 x 11” stickers printed with the sticky side on the front to be put on the outside of the windows of veterans in our living centers who have been kept in the building, quarantined for the past eight months. Jackson Creek wanted 20 as did Liberty Heights, and Bethesda received 10.

“We hoped the stickers would bring comfort. The eagle/flag was drawn by the father of a VFW member,” Carlson said.