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Valentines for veterans: Volunteers sought to deliver cards around Alton

Telegraph - 2/6/2018

Feb. 06--ALTON -- An 85-year-old former airman once again is planning to bring Valentine's Day cheer to fellow veterans in nursing homes and other facilities, with the help of countless area schoolchildren.

"Some were outstanding, I couldn't believe how many children made valentines" last year, said organizer Billy G. Hammon of Godfrey. "Making a valentine for a veteran is priceless. It was kind of touching. We had vets cry."

Hammon, a volunteer reading tutor in local schools, began his "Give a Valentine to a Veteran" project for Valentine's Day 2017.

Pupils at North, East and West elementary schools in the Alton district used their creativity to hand make more than 1,000 cards, each unique with personal messages and decorations. Hammon, fellow members of the post's auxiliary Ritual Team, and others delivered the cards.

"The children created beautiful, special valentines to brighten the lives of our local vets in nursing homes," he said. "The result was overwhelming, they loved it."

This year, Hammon expects students at even more schools to make 1,500 to 2,000 cards that he and other members of Alton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1308 will deliver on Valentine's Day. As of Monday, he said eight public schools will be making the valentines. He was awaiting word from parochial schools as to if any of them will participate.

Even with the volunteers who already have stepped forward for this second annual round of valentine deliveries, Hammon said he still is seeking more people to help. There will be a meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the Alton VFW, 4445 N. Alby St., for anyone who wants to help. Volunteers must be available in the daytime on Feb. 14 and be healthy, so as to not make any of the people in the facilities ill.

For those who cannot attend the meeting, they may call Hammon at (618) 444-0812 for more information or for a delivery assignment.

The veterans plan to bring the valentines to veterans in area nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the greater Alton area. They also plan to deliver valentines to a veteran's home in North St. Louis County, and the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities -- John Cochran Division in St. Louis and Jefferson Barracks Division in South St. Louis County.

Hammon served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1955. As an older veteran with peers in the nursing homes and assisted living facilities, he said his valentine outreach is special to him.

Besides seeing the joy in the residents' faces, Hammon also personally experienced receiving a card -- a young boy gave the valentine he made to Hammon, which surprised the veteran and touched his heart.

"Some people think I'm kind of nuts, or too old, but that's what keeps me young," he said.

Reach Linda N. Weller at 618-208-6450 or on Twitter @Linda_Weller

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