BY JULISA NEVAREZ | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Roses are red, violets are blue, send a letter, and say “thank you.”

At least that’s the idea behind “Valentines for Vets,” a program once again being directed by U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez this winter.

In its second year, the program will be collecting and mailing Valentine’s cards until Monday, Feb. 8, for military veterans.

This year, cards will also be sent to front-line workers who have selflessly been serving the community during the pandemic.

“Our brave service members are owed the greatest amount of respect and admiration for their sacrifice to our country. This Valentine’s Day, I hope the 15th District will join me in honoring our troops and frontline workers with a small token of appreciation,” Gonzalez wrote in a release. “A heartfelt card or handwritten note is a small but great way to give back to those who have given so much for our country.”

As of Wednesday, the drive has raked in about 300 cards.

Last year, the Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home received close to 500 cards for Valentine’s Day. This year Activities Director Marlene Mendez hopes to reach a goal of 1,000.

“A lot of residents believe by coming here they think that the world is going to forget them,” Mendez explained. “So when they receive something as simple as a card, they feel like they’re not forgotten. They feel appreciated. They feel good about themselves and some of them will even have tears.”

Congressman Vicente Gonzalez is requesting valentine’s cards to send to veterans and frontline workers for the Valentine’s for Vets program. (Courtesy photo)

A card showing a little appreciation would lift the spirits of the residents who have only been able to see their families through video calls these past months to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Mendez said, which created a lonely environment for the residents.

“We were constantly always on the go trying to make them happy and keep them going by coming up with activities like hallway bingo,” she said. “So we never miss an opportunity to try and lift their spirits and go all out every holiday.”

Mendez says that she plans to have a Valentine’s Day celebration for the residents with enough goodies to tickle their sweet tooth and a chance to win the title of king and queen of 2021.

“It’s sort of like when you go to prom and you’re being crowned the king and queen of the prom night,” Mendez said with a laugh. “They’re voted by the family, residents, and our staff. Everyone is dressed up and the winners get a box of candy and a teddy bear. We put the crown and the tierra and we help them dance as king and queen. We try to make it very special for them.”

The icing on the cake of that celebration, Mendez said, would be a Valentine’s card showing love and appreciation so that everyone would feel special.

“It’s important to remember our veterans who gave us our freedom, who fought for our country,” Mendez said. “They deserve to be shown some love on Valentine’s Day so they can feel appreciated for not just what they did for our country, but to show that we remember them and brighten them up.”

Cards are being accepted at Gonzalez’s McAllen office at 1305 W. Hackberry Ave. until Monday, Feb. 8.

Contact Karen Hinojosa at (956) 682-5545 for more information on how to help.