Verse:
Thank you for the heart you have for our country..
With all my heart, I hope you feel better.

Verse inside card:

Lovers love,
Preachers preach,
We all live and die,
Now we all know why.
Thanks,
Frankie White

Dear Veteran,This seems strange, I mean writing to someone I don’t even know but feel so in debt to. You’ve done so much for our country, for me. I can’t tell you how much you mean to me, to America as a whole. You put your life on the line to save the country we all hold so dear. Most people would have run scared, but you, you stood up for us, defended us and cared for us. You saved the lives of millions and are hardly recognized fir it. People don’t realize what the military does, I do. You’re becoming a hero, a genuine hero. Everyone recognizes the fireman and police officers after September 11^th, occasionally there is a second thought given the men and women putting their lives in the path of danger to protect the nation we so briskly call home, not realizing we are in danger at every moment. But we have our guardian angels looking out for us, carrying their M-16s and wearing their metals as if they were ‘only doing their duty.’ I think about men and women in the military often, I want to be there some day, risking my life to uphold everything we take for granted daily. It is one thing to say I want to but an entirely different one to actually go through with it. Anyone who has the courage to go and fight for what they believe in and risk death for people they will never know; that is what I see as a hero. I honor your bravery; your courage; your nerve; and you. I can only aspire to achieve half of what you have achieved. I don’t know if I’ll make it but I have heroes to like you to look up to and to guide me through the hard times to come. I not only honor you, I thank you. Thank you for your time, courage, willpower and strength. Thank you. Sincerely,

Alicia Donnelly
JROTC cadet, future hero
Pineview High School
Pineview, WV

During the past few weeks, the veterans from the Veterans Against Drugs Program have taught me many positive character traits and how drugs and alcohol can affect these traits. I have learned about honesty, integrity, meaningful achievement, respect, and camaraderie. The informed gentlemen emphasized the importance of being honest to oneself as well as being honest to others. Alcohol and drugs can cause people to be dishonest with friends, family, and even oneself. The veterans have taught me that drinking can kill you along with others and make people think less of you. I’ve learned that all drugs can take your life and if they don’t they can destroy your ambitions. In conclusion, the veterans have taught me a lot about character and how it can be affected by outside influences such as alcohol, drugs, and peer pressure. I’m sure I will be a better citizen someday because of these kind gentlemen who volunteered their time to teach the youth of our community about the importance of having good character. 

Dustin Farley
Spanishburg Middle School
Spanishburg, WV