AMVETS play Santa at Soldiers Home

Date: 12/21/2011

Dec. 21, 2011

By Lori Szepelak

Correspondent

HOLYOKE — Members of Chicopee AMVETS Post 12 were methodical on Dec. 18 as they traversed many hallways at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, ensuring that every veteran received a wrapped gift.

The huge boxes of wrapped sweat suits were stacked on stretchers which made for ideal maneuvering as Commander Robert Destromp lead his army of volunteers throughout the dormitory and floors of the Soldiers Home. Assisted by recreation therapist Katie Callier, the AMVETS took their time to ensure that no one was missed.

Callier has been working at the facility for 10 years and looks forward to being on the shift when the AMVETS bring the holiday gifts.

“Their visit makes the veterans feel happy,” she said during an interview with Reminder Publications. “It’s a wonderful gesture – remembering them.”

Early in the distribution process, Destromp walked into the room of Prim Hertel who has been living at the Soldiers Home for approximately nine months. Hertel, a Navy and Air Force veteran, lit up with a huge smile as soon as he saw the men bearing gifts.

“This is so nice of them,” said Hertel. “It means a lot to all of us.”

Destromp was joined throughout the afternoon by several volunteers and fellow veterans, including David Charbonneau, first vice officer, Donald Isabelle, third vice officer, and Caroline Kenyon, provost marshal, all Post 12. Isabelle also donned a Santa suit to add to the festivities.

“This day is giving back to veterans who have given so much to our country,” said Isabelle.

Charbonneau echoed those sentiments.

“Just watching their faces, knowing they don’t have that lonely feeling, is the best part of today,” Charbonneau said, adding, “It’s vets helping vets.”

Once all the sweat suits were distributed the Post 12 vets moved on to a nicely decorated social gathering room, where they displayed hundreds of donated items they had collected that were on the “wish list” of veterans. Wish list items included tooth brushes and tooth paste, nail clippers, crossword and puzzle books, writing paper, playing cards and brushes and combs.

The afternoon culminated with a bingo game and the announcement that Post 12 was donating two chess boards, a case of bingo cards, and a Shure PGX wireless professional microphone system.

“I think it’s wonderful they visited today,” Raymond Tremblay said, originally of Weymouth. “This really lightened me up today.”

Jack Albright, formerly of Turners Falls, was especially touched by the outpouring by Post 12.

“They are a dedicated group and we thank them for all that they do for us,” Albright said.

Chicopee AMVETS had made a similar trip to the soldiers home in Leeds on Dec. 17, ensuring that all the veterans at that site also received a wrapped gift for the holiday season.