Happy Veterans Day,

I have coached several girls soccer teams over the years. All of the girls played for the Portsmouth City Soccer Club. After the PCSC seasons, most would go on to play indoor soccer in Hampton. After the indoor game before Veterans Day, the players would be given paper and things to write with to make Veterans Day cards. All of the cards would go that night to the Veterans of Foreign Wars post on Deer Street—now the Statey Bar & Grill.

At least six of the young stars, together with a parent, would make the trip each year. We would walk in and I would go to the bartender and ask if it would be okay for the young ladies to give cards to the veterans. The answer was always, “yes!” The girls would go up to each veteran, hand them a card, and I would watch those veterans melt with pride and then enjoy some lively conversation with the girls, after which we would be on our way.

One year was different.

That year when I went to the bartender she told me that the Board of Directors were in a meeting upstairs and would be out in a couple of minutes. Could we wait? Of course we could. Soon five, grouchy old veterans came walking out of their meeting. The ladies walked up to them and handed them the cards they had made for them. (Picture the grinch when he realizes the meaning of Christmas.) All of the board members began to smile; they melted from what was being handed to them.

Unfortunately, I do not have any videos of my soccer players interacting with these local veterans, but the link below captures those warm feelings of generosity and appreciation. As you will see, Frank Grasberger is a veteran with a huge heart.

Friends, there are thousands of veterans out there whose hearts are touched by a simple letter that says, “Thank you.”

Happy Veterans Day, Jim

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/09/14/wwii-vet-letter-child-war/