Oceanside Middle School students reach out to wounded vets

Two wounded veterans of the war in Afghanistan will receive iPads to help them with their rehabilitation at a U.S. Veterans hospital, thanks to the efforts of students and staff at Oceanside Middle School.

Team Council students organized bake sales, supervised by English Language Arts teachers Bonnie Hennessey and Nancy Morris. Hennessey is friends with a founder of the Long Beach Waterfront Warriors and knew it would be a great community service project for her students. Morris is also a student activities coordinator.

Long Beach Waterfront Warriors arranges week-long summer vacations in Long Beach for wounded armed services members and their families. Recuperating soldiers often do not get to see their families regularly while undergoing rehabilitation because the veterans hospital is in the Washington, D.C. area, while most of their families live elsewhere. 

The vets and their families are brought to Long Beach and housed with local families or at the Allegria Hotel. They go to the beach, take a day trip to New York City, attend barbecues and concerts and are the guests of honor at a Long Beach parade to thank them for their service.  Those unable to make the trip in the summer have another chance to visit Long Island during “Holidays for Heroes” in December, featuring a day-trip to New  York City and landmarks including Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center and the Top of the Rock.

Until the soldiers are well enough to travel, having access to iPads helps them keep their brains active while their bodies heal. In addition to the iPads, a check for $100 will help defray their families’ expenses. The students also collected items to send to troops in Afghanistan.