A sweet treat for National Salute to Veterans Week

PINEVILLE, La. (KALB) - On Tuesday, Feb. 14, patients at the Alexandria Veteran Affairs Hospital received a special visit from the newly-crowded Miss Louisiana USA and Miss Louisiana Teen USA. The two ladies now serving the state gave veterans a sweet, surprise token of appreciation for their service.

It was one of the first stops around the state in the reign of Miss Louisiana Sylvia Masters and Miss Louisiana Teen Averi Crawford.

“It’s just another way of giving back. Meeting with the people here, just telling them how appreciative we are of them,” said Masters. “Just giving them that hands-on communication and talking with them, and just letting them know how grateful we are for them and their service to our country.”

”We are representing Louisiana as a whole, and I think it’s important to hit almost everywhere you can in Louisiana. Just to get the whole state,” said Crawford. “Things like this aren’t really like something people do often, and I think it’s really important to honor our veterans, especially on Valentine’s Day.”

Their stop was a part of the VA’s National Salute to Veterans Week, an annual event in its 30th year of encouraging the community to get involved in visiting hospitalized and in-patient veterans.

“We encourage the community to get involved, veteran services, local schools,” said Terro Celestine, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, now serving as a volunteer specialist at the Alexandria VA. “It’s important to have them involved and to let them see what veterans, what they mean to us.”

Veterans received handmade cards from several local schools and veteran service organizations, as well as homemade treats and chocolate roses.

The weeklong event will continue through Feb. 17, with more community members stopping by the VA Hospital to make a small gesture of appreciation for veterans who made big sacrifices.

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