The California State University, Stanislaus Troops to College Committee, along with the American Red Cross, hosted its third annual National Salute to Veteran Patients in the quad Wednesday morning.
Booths were set up near the flagpole where students, staff, faculty and community members decorated white pillowcases with fabric paints.
The finished pillowcases will be given to veterans in Veteran’s Affairs (VA) hospitals as well as local care facilities by the Red Cross and the on-campus Veteran’s Club.
Pillowcases were provided for participants, but many others stopped by to donate new ones for the cause.
Pillowcases were also donated throughout the weeks leading up to the event in donation boxes located at MSR and the Student Veteran Center in the Student Services Building.
According to the National Salute to Veteran Patients website (volunteer.va.gov), the event was held to pay tribute and express appreciation to veterans, increase community awareness of the role of the VA medical center and encourage citizens to visit hospitalized veterans and volunteer.
Mami Trussell, Administrative Support Coordinator for Enrollment Services, explained the importance of the event.
“[The event] lets [veterans] know they are not forgotten, and to involve the campus community and the community at large. We are very honored to have some local veterans residing in a nearby residential care facility visiting us during our event.”
Michael Igoe, the Veteran Programs Coordinator, spoke of the benefits of sending pillowcases to veterans in the hospital.
“Many of the patients may not have the opportunity to leave their rooms very often,” Igoe said.
“Since you can only send so many cards and flowers to someone in the hospital, the American Red Cross of Stanislaus, Calaveras and Tuolumne began this tradition as another way to decorate the room with color.”
Although pillowcases are presented to veterans to show appreciation, it is not the only outlet used by the Veteran’s Club.
“We do care packages for our veterans,” said Nadine Kent, CSU Stanislaus’s Veterans Affairs Coordinator.
“March is the National Salute to Veteran Patients and this is our small way of doing it.”
Kent also spoke about what this event means to the Veterans in these hospitals and care facilities.
“They really do [appreciate] it and it is amazing sitting down and hearing their stories,” Kent said.
“Just connecting with them is pretty awesome. It makes their day, and it makes you feel good knowing you did something small.”
The next veterans event will be the Veteran’s Club Fundraiser Modesto Nuts Game on April 27.  More information can be obtained by contacting the Veteran’s Club located in MSR 120.