Veterans in the Martinsville and Henry County area are being celebrated this Valentine’s Day through a longstanding partnership between Henry County Parks and Recreation and Henry County Public Schools. For more than a decade, the two organizations have worked together to deliver handmade Valentine’s Day cards to veterans living in senior facilities across the region.
The initiative transforms the Henry County Parks and Recreation office into a hub for collecting Valentine’s Day cards, which are then distributed to local rehab and senior care facilities housing elderly veterans. Over the years, thousands of cards have been collected and shared with the community’s veterans.
“We’ve had years where we’ve had a couple thousand,” said Daniel Reynolds, deputy director of Henry County Parks and Recreation. “Over the past two or three years, we’ve gotten somewhere around four or five hundred each year.”
Reynolds noted that the event predates his tenure with Parks and Recreation, which began a decade ago. “It’s been going on since before I got here ten years ago,” he said. “It’s all about honoring veterans for their service to the country.”
The program draws support from a variety of community groups, including local schools and churches. Parks and Recreation provides resources to county art teachers, who guide their students in creating heartfelt Valentine’s cards for the veterans.
“We’ve had a great response,” Reynolds said. “A lot of the cards come through the schools, but churches and other groups also participate.”
Once the collection period ends, the cards are handed over to Bassett High School’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). Under the leadership of instructor Lonnie Corley, the students carefully review each card to ensure its appropriateness.
“They’ll go through them and make sure they don’t say anything hurtful,” Reynolds explained. “From there, it all falls to the school. Parks and Rec focuses on collecting, but it’s Corley and the JROTC students who do all the work.”
Approved Valentines are then prepared for delivery.
The JROTC students personally deliver the cards to veterans at facilities such as King’s Grant, Blue Ridge Rehab, and Stanleytown Rehab. Any leftover cards are sent to the Salem VA Medical Center, ensuring that every card finds a recipient.
Community members are encouraged to contribute by dropping off Valentine’s Day cards at the Parks and Recreation office on the second floor of the Henry County Administration Building. The office, located at 3300 Kings Mountain Rd., Martinsville, is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The deadline for submitting cards is February 3. Participants may submit as many cards as they wish, provided the content is appropriate.
Reynolds emphasized the importance of the program and its impact on the community’s veterans. “It’s a small gesture, but it means so much to those who receive them,” he said.
This Valentine’s Day, the community has a chance to show its appreciation for local veterans and bring a little love to those who served.