Student spearheads letter drive for veterans

Local student and President of the Patriot Club Luke Stacey has begun a letter writing campaign after a request from Puget Island native Bob Neilson, now of Puyallup, came his way.

Neilson is involved with the Puget Sound Honor Flight, an organization that sends aging and seriously ill veterans to the nation’s capitol to visit the national monuments for a weekend as a token of appreciation for their service.

In April, they will be sending two such heroes and hoping to reenact an old fashioned mail call on the return flight. The organization is asking anyone and everyone to write a letter of thanks to these men. The Patriot Club will be writing letters but would like to extend the invitation to the residents of Wahkiakum County.

Readers who would like to get involved can send a card or letter to: Puget Sound Honor Flight, PO Box 434 , Grapeview, WA 98546 Attn: Lee Brown or Chaplain Jeffery.

The next flight is April 18-20, and they are requesting that cards and letters arrive no later than April 2.

A third gentleman has decided to join the two veterans on the flight and will be included in the mail call. He may even wear his uniform. To write to him, simply change the attention line to Don Hanson.

Writers can address the cards and letters to “Dear Friend” or “Dear Veteran.”

“Our goal,” Stacey said, is to supply those letters so that, hopefully, every veteran on the flight receives a bit of well deserved honor and thanks.”

“There is no such thing as too much mail,” Neilson added. “We need to pay a lot of attention to ‘the forgotten ones.’ We cannot forget them.”