SVES students: Thank you, veterans!

Picking up on the VFW motto “Honor the dead by helping the living” that was recently enunciated by local VFW Post Commander Barry Hirshbein, members of the Student Council of the San Vicente Elementary School combined their commemoration of Veterans Day with the motif of Thanksgiving.

Heeding the call from the Department of Youth Services for canned goods to be distributed to the needy during the Thanksgiving season, the students responded quickly and beyond expectations.

Amazed at the amount of food items that poured into the School office, school principal Janet C. Villagomez lightly commented that some of the students must have emptied their home cupboards. “Given the short notice,” she said, “this outpouring of compassion is just incredible.”

Student Council governor Jeremy Taitano earlier in the day expressed concern about the families of SPC Darence Jack and Sgt. Wilgene Lieto, recent casualties in the war in Iraq. “I wish there is something substantial we could do for them to express our sympathies to the members of their families,” he said.

Sixth grader Janelle Babauta dragged herself groggily into class Thursday morning after spending the night with the throng at the airport who waited for the remains of the slain officers in a candlelight vigil. But her spirit was not dampened as she assisted in the gathering of the canned goods for the Thanksgiving baskets as this was “honoring the dead by caring for the living.”

Karmi Reyes, one of the Student Council members, led a team that went from classroom to classroom to collect the goods the children managed to bring to school after only a couple of days notice. “The School Assembly planned to honor the veterans, but more specifically, the memories of Eddie Chan, Darence Jack and Wilgene Lieto,” she said. Karmi Reyes and Jeremy Taitano were to emcee the assembly, which was postponed at the last minute because the stage grounds did not dry fast enough to hold the school gathering. The bleachers were too damp to ensure safety and comfort for the students, so agreed fifth grader Kelsey George who is the campus cop. She heads a team in charge of security during school events.

The school stage, however, was draped with a banner that boldly proclaimed “Thank U, Vets!” The Student Council is promoting two more activities related to Thursday’s celebration. There is the letter writing to the troops assigned to the active theatres of operations in the Middle East, organized by the STAR writers’ workshop. They are also gathering children’s toys for the U.S. Marine Corps who distribute the same to deserving children during the Christmas season. (Jaime Vergara)