For some veterans around the world Valentine’s Day is not a day of love and warmth, but instead a reminder of the loneliness they feel.
But, for this Valentine’s Day, students at Ojai Valley School’s Lower Campus have sent out cards to help 86 veterans feel the love on Valentine’s Day.
“It’s an especially hard time right now, because of COVID,” said OVS parent Wendy Tremiti, who works in the alumni relations office for OVS. “Receiving a cute little card, and there’s probably a word spelled wrong, from a child really does change the mental game.”
The OVS Lower Campus teaching staff started the Valentines for Vets initiative at least 12 Years ago, according to Mrs. Tremiti. 
Every year students in grades Pre-K through 5th grade take class time to cut out, color and write sweet vibrant colored, heart-shaped cards.
“The kids all made heart cards and decorated them with American flags,” said first grade teacher Nicole Ferro, whose students take part each year.
Tremiti is deeply tied to the service through her husband, who is a veteran himself. She has many connections and has given OVS an opportunity to send the letters to different non-profits and people around the country.
Her close friend Robert Henline, a veteran and motivational speaker, works for an array of non-profits on the East Coast.
Through Henline, the letters this year were shipped all the way to Fayetteville, North Carolina and will be received by a non-profit known as Off-Road Outreach, which connects homeless military veterans with a range of services.
The impact of Valentines for Vets spreads beyond the joy brought to the vets. It opens a door to educate the students about war veterans and Veterans Day.
“It’s not something that’s taught as much as it should be,” Mrs.Tremiti said. “It’s an honorable thing for [students] to learn.”
As for the project itself, the production of Valentine’s Day cards always fills the Lower Campus classrooms with conversations and new lessons about showing kindness and appreciation to those who are in need.
“We talked about why it is important to give back to people in our community and one way you can give back is by brightening someone’s day with a heartfelt thank you,” Mrs. Ferro said.
