Help Ava Raise Funds for the VA & Veteran Programs

Update: Ava has raised $250 for the VA and is now working towards $250 for Patriot’s Cove!

My name is AveMaria and I’m 10 years old. I am raising funds to donate to the VA.

I entered a Veterans Day essay contest and was hoping to win the grand prize ($250) so I could donate it to the VA. Even though I didn’t win the grand prize overall, I just found out today that I DID win 1st place in the Grade 4-5 category!

Please consider donating to this cause and remember to thank the veterans in your life.

Love,

Ava (and my mommy, Deanna)

My essay:

“Remembering and Honoring All Veterans”

Hello, my name is AveMaria and today I will be telling you why it is important to honor and remember our veterans. In war and in peace, our veterans are willing to fight for our freedoms and defend our country. There have been many wars throughout history but there was one that was called “the war to end all wars” because of how bad it was. In 1914 World War I started. There was a ton of bombs and everyone was crying and scared all the time. This lasted until 1918, when American troops came to help and put an end to the war.

Americans celebrate Veterans Day on November 11th every year. The date is important because it is to honor the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, when World War I ended. We celebrate by having parades and services to honor our veterans for their bravery and sacrifice to defend our country and the entire world.

What drew my interest in this project is why some veterans are honored and others are forgotten. When Vietnam veterans came home they were treated horribly and some people even called them terrible names or spit on them. My grandfather signed up for the Marines when he was 17 years old and became a recon soldier. His job was to actually find where enemy soldiers were hiding. He served until 1973. He is now disabled and can’t work. I did a Google search and actually 30 out of 100 veterans are disabled. And did you know that every night in America 40,000 veterans don’t have a home to go to? My grandfather probably wouldn’t have a home if he didn’t live with my great-uncle. I don’t think it’s fair that veterans have to fight to live even after the wars are over. My family gets mad sometimes because my grandfather took care of our country but now the country is not taking care of him. I think that it’s important to remember and honor our veterans because everyone who has served or is serving our country should be given respect. When you see a veteran you could say thank you for serving our country. That is something that would make their day on Veterans Day. We can also donate to help veterans and ask our government to treat them better when they come home. If I win one of the top prizes I will be donating to the VA Medical Center because there are over 9 million veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare program and the VA does many things to help veterans every day.

I’m proud of our vets and I’m proud of my grandfather. I want him and all of the vets to get the respect they deserve and to live a better life. If you love America you should love veterans because if it weren’t for them we wouldn’t have this life. So remember to thank a veteran every day, not just on Veteran’s Day!