February 13, 2022
WEST EDITION
Westside News Established 1953
Serving Suburban News West and Hamlin-Clarkson Herald edition areas
Serving the communities of Hamlin, Clarkson, Kendall, Bergen, Clarendon, Holley-Murray, Brockport-Sweden
February 13, 2022
Issue No. 7
westsidenewsny.com
Community responds to Valentines for Veterans challenge by Pamela A. Moore, Harvey C. Noone Post #954 Family A Valentine’s Day Challenge was thrown down in January by Churchville’s Harvey C. Noone Legion via an article published in Westside News, and also posted on its Facebook page and website. The challenge: to exceed the 1,236 Valentines that were collected for veterans at the Batavia VA during the 2021 Valentines for Veterans Project. The response to the challenge was decisive. A total of 2,060 Valentines were delivered to the Batavia VA for hospitalized veterans, and also for veterans in the male and female In Residence PTSD programs. Batavia’s PTSD program for female vets is one of only a few in the entire
Legion Commander Gil Budd and granddaughter, Bella Story. Photo by Pamela Moore.
Veterans, we love you over the moon and back. Photo by Pamela Moore.
Renzyn Litolff. Photo by Briana Litolff-Lynch.
U.S. Valentines continued to arrive after the deadline and those will be delivered to the veterans living in Westwood Commons in North Chili. One young artist, Renzyn Litolff, made a Valentine depicting the moon and an American flag. Her Valentine encapsulates this challenge, its results, and the love and gratitude contained in each card. It also captured the spirit of the people of this nation who, since its founding, have always joined together to meet challenges, big and small. The challenge here was to demonstrate that we remember and honor our veterans by increasing participation. We succeeded. There was a 42% increase
and Valentines arrived from Monroe, Livingston, and Genesee Counties, thus proving, “We love our veterans to the moon and back.” Along with the Valentines, a $200 check from the Legion Auxiliary’s Poppy Fund was presented to Cindy Baker of the Center for Development and Civic Engagement at the Batavia VA. On behalf of all the veterans, Cindy extended heartfelt thanks to each and every individual, organization, and group of family and friends who took the time to participate in this challenge and, in so doing, ensured Valentine’s Day 2022 would be especially “sweet” for our veterans.
Cameron and Steaven Montesano. Photo by Briana Litolff-Lynch.
Pamela Moore delivering Valentines to the Batavia VA. Photo by Cindy Baker.
Alyssa Battista. Photo by Lisa Battista.
Nicole and Brandon Prevost. Photo by Briana Litolff-Lynch.