DUBLIN, Ga. — If you are a senior living in a nursing home, chances are you are sheltering in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. A Laurens County High School student is trying to make this process a little easier for veterans living at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center.
Harley Buxton is a volunteer at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center, and due to the pandemic, she has not been able to see the veterans regularly, so she started a program called Angels to Vets, and things have truly taken off.
"I couldn't come in and visit my patients, which I love and adore so much, so what could I possibly do to sit there and interact with them," Buxton said.
For three years, Buxton has volunteered at the VA center, so she decided to start the program, asking people in the community to write letters to our veterans at the Community Living Center in Dublin.
One letter read, "I am free and protected in this country because of you. I would love to hear back from you. If not it is totally fine. Here is my address."
The East Laurens High School senior has received about 150 letters for veterans. People sent pictures, cards, and kind words to warm a veteran's heart. Buxton says she plans to keep this program going even once this pandemic ends.
"It gets me really excited, but it gets me really emotional to know they are people out in the community as well as me that care about these veterans as much as I do," Buxton said.
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