Kids and Staff from CSM's Child Development Center

Children from College of San Mateo’s Child Development Center cut, pasted, and drew handmade greeting cards for hospitalized veterans as part of a Valentine’s Day effort to honor the vets and to recognize the hardships they’ve endured.

The children presented their cards to Congresswoman Jackie Speier’s field representative, Mark Nagales, on Thursday, November 10. The Congresswoman’s office will distribute the cards to VA hospitals in Palo Alto and San Francisco.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about the veterans serving our country and about the sacrifice they made for us,” said center director Louise Piper.

The children were busy all week preparing the cards, which expressed thoughts of gratitude and love in hearts and squiggly words. At least two of the children at the center have parents who are veterans.

Cards made by the kids in CSM's CDC

The center provides a rich, stimulating early care and education program for 48 children from 2-1/2 to 5 years old.

Some 50 schools ranging from kindergartens to colleges generated a thousand Valentine’s Day Cards, said Nagales. CSM’s children were the youngest participates.

“We’re hoping the veterans receiving the cards will be surprised and overwhelmed by the cards, especially the veterans in the long-term patient care,” said Nagales. “We want them to know that they haven’t been forgotten.”

This is the first year that the Congresswoman’s office had taken up a Valentine’s Day tradition which dates back 21 years.  The tradition began with an Ann Landers column in which the advice columnist encouraged her readers to send Valentine’s Day cards to veterans in VA facilities across the US.