National Salute Week

Yesterday, I spent the day at the Veterans Hospital in Lebanon, PA as a part of National Salute to Veterans Patients Week. This program recognizes Veterans for their service and is celebrated each year during the week of February 14th. The purpose of this national event is to:

*pay tribute and express appreciation to hospitalized Veterans

*increase community awareness of the role of the VA medical centers

*encourage everyone to visit hospitalized Veterans

*promote the value of becoming a VA volunteer

It was a moving experience to meet so many men and women who have courageously served our country and to have an opportunity to say thank you. I hope I brought some cheer to the patients as I delivered Valentines made by local schoolchildren and hundreds of my own homemade cookies (the baking of which was made possible by being snowed-in for two days!). They just opened a new Women's Health Center as well, and with so many women returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's good to know that they can receive the best medical treatment possible as they return to families and communities.

Of the 23.2 military veterans living in the United States, over 1 million are Pennsylvania residents. Thank a veteran for his or her service today!