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Valentine’s from Kids of Erie County Schools

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ryan Campbell
  • 107th Airlift Wing
NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. --  Members of the 107th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard, received Valentine's Day cards here made my local area students, Feb. 10, 2016.

Erie County legislator Lynne Dixon presented the cards on behalf of the students from more than 35 Erie County schools. The handmade cards have been presented to the Airmen of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station every year since 2010.

"It means everything," said Dixon. "To see the reaction of little kids, I go into classrooms of the 3 and 4 year olds, as well as 6th graders, 7th graders."

Even though they may be young, the children understand what it means to be a veteran, said Dixon.

"They all understand the sacrifices of the veterans, and appreciate the veterans," said Dixon. "They want them to know that they are loved and supported and appreciated."

Aside from the slight mix-up of some children wanting to thank veterans for helping animals, they have been brought up learning about the importance of service and giving back to the military, said Dixon.

The children not only grow up learning about what a veteran is, it is also not uncommon that they may have family members that have served at some point in the military.

"Quite a few of them have family members that have served," said Dixon. "Whether it was a grandfather, uncle, father or mother, they like telling those stories. They like sharing with me that their grandfather served in Vietnam, or their mom was deployed some years ago."

With the several boxes of cards adorned with patriotic decorations, members of the 107th AW gladly accepted them, graciously reading through the kind words that the children wrote for them.