(from an online student AMH 2020 summer 2015)
For my mission I chose to serve food to homeless veterans at Veterans Village.
For my mission I chose to serve food to homeless veterans at Veterans Village.
I chose to make macaroni, after it was suggested multiple times, and cupcakes! As the rest of the food was being set up, I was able to talk to the veterans as they eagerly waited to dig in. Here I got to talk to multiple veterans and hear their stories. I was able to learn more about each individual and what struggles that have faced and ones they are currently going through. I was able to learn about their families, time in the service, and personal interests. These were some of the most interesting conversations I have ever had the pleasure of hearing.
The reason I chose serving these homeless veterans, for my mission, is because I believe they don’t get enough recognition for what they’ve done for our country. Today people have a tendency to be very selfish and expect people to give them things they haven’t worked for, my generation especially. These people generally don’t even that they wouldn’t have half of the things they have today if it weren’t for the military fighting for the freedom of our country. These men have risked their lives so people, they don’t even know, can live their lives freely as they chose. For this reason, I think veterans should be commended for their generosity and I think we, as American citizens, need to show them how thankful we are for them.
Another reason I chose this as my mission is because I come from a family who supports our troops and have witnessed how war can affect people. My cousin’s husband was in the marines and he served in Afghanistan. Knowing him before he joined the service, I can see first hand how combat can completely change a soldier’s life. He suffers from PTSD and any loud noise generally sets it off. Besides my cousin’s husband, my sister is currently an officer candidate for an intelligence position in the marines. Talking to these veterans helps me to understand how lucky I am to have a sister who is as passionate about this country.
Cooking for these veterans not only makes them happy, but it makes me happy as well. I have a culinary degree and cooking is, in a way, a form of therapy for me. To be able to do something I love and have it put a smile on someone else’s face is more than enough of a reason for me. These veterans were so thankful for us taking a few hours out of our day to prepare and serve them food. Being involved in this mission has made me realize how hard it can be to recover from a life of war. These veterans would be living on the streets if it weren’t for this program. This experience was more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. I am definitely planning on becoming more involved with this program and volunteering more of my time. 