MUSKOGEE, Okla. – On Friday, Feb. 13, Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner and Secretary of Veterans Affairs S. Joe Crittenden hand delivered Valentine’s Day cards to veterans at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center to thank them for their service.
Every year, the Office of Veteran Affairs at Cherokee Nation receives thousands of homemade valentines through its Valentines for Veterans program. The valentines are delivered to veterans across the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
“It’s a blessing to be a blessing to others. We appreciate the thousands of individuals who make this possible, along with the incredible staff at the Cherokee Nation Veterans Center,” Deputy Chief Warner said. “Seeing the smile on a veteran’s face during a difficult time makes all the work worth it.”
This year, the Cherokee Nation Office of Veteran Affairs received over 9,400 homemade valentines from Cherokee citizens, schools, community organizations, health centers and at-large Cherokees. Tribal employees also created homemade cards to share their support.
The tribe also delivered valentines across the reservation and region to the Sallisaw Veterans Home, Sallisaw VFW, Jay VA Clinic, Fayetteville Veterans Hospital, Claremore Veterans Home and the Vinita VA Clinic.
The Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center services around 45,000 veterans a year and can hold 40 to 60 inpatient veterans.
The Valentines for Veterans program was created in 2008 and provides handmade valentine cards to Cherokee and non-Cherokee veterans and is part of the National Salute to Veteran Patients.
“These valentines are a reminder that people who may not personally know these veterans still appreciate their service and sacrifice,” said Secretary Crittenden, a U.S. Navy veteran. “For years, this program has offered a little something extra, and shows what we can do as a token of appreciation.”
For more information on the Cherokee Nation Office of Veteran Affairs and the programs offered, call 918-772-4166.