PSVP Kids Learn Alot with Veterans

What a great weekend event!!

Last Saturday, PSVP Kids spent 3 hours hearing stories from WW II, Korean, and Vietnam Veterans and spouses at the Southwestern Veterans Center.  Our kids wheeled patients, played checkers, cards, scrabble, and served ice cream. And most importantly, they learned the importance of “caring”.

Our leader for the day was Volunteer Coordinator Lynn Lewkocicz.  She was great and spent a lot of time with our kids.  One of my biggest take aways was that Pennsylvania offers some of the best care and services to State resident veterans than any other State in the Nation. The long term residential facility we visited houses 246 veterans in a new, modern, friendly and clean home.

Kudos to Justin at Pittsburgh Cares who helped coordinate the day.  But mostly to our PSVP Kids.  What is PSVP Kids?

Thanks to PSVP Partners Tessa Nicholson and Carrie Barman, we launched a pilot project with eight families and 12 kids between the ages of 8 and 12.  Over a 7 month period our kids and families do monthly volunteer/educational programs learning and serving some of our most needy neighbors. And they are working to collect/raise $3,000 by the end of May.  And then . . . .

The PSVP Kids, on their own, will decide what organization(s) should get their grant money. It will be a thrill for the kids (and parents) when the money is presented.

What do you think?  Should we expand PSVP Kids?