As Veterans Day passes, I find myself reflecting on the outstanding ceremonies and events that I had the honor to attend where we acknowledge those brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. While ceremonies, events, and moments of silence are meaningful ways to show appreciation, one day of recognition can never fully acknowledge what sacrifices our veterans have given to protect our freedom. This gratitude should not be limited to a single date on the calendar. The respect, care, and appreciation for veterans should be woven into our daily lives and every day should be a day we honor our Veterans.

Honoring veterans daily does not necessarily mean holding ceremonies, it means modeling a culture of continuous gratitude and respect. Don’t let our appreciation for veterans fade, because generations of men and women stood ready to defend the freedoms we enjoy and sometimes take for granted. Recognizing them should be part of our everyday lives and recently I have witnessed this appreciation in our local schools.

From our kindergarten to high school classes, creativity and respect for our Veterans is shown by students across the Mohawk Valley through this year’s Cards for Veterans Initiative. What began as a small idea to connect our students with the heroes in our communities has blossomed into one of the most meaningful projects I have the honor of organizing each year.

This fall, thousands of handwritten cards and letters poured into our office from classrooms in every corner of the 119th Assembly District. These weren’t just paper and markers, they were personal expressions of admiration, gratitude, and heartfelt patriotism.

As I delivered these cards to local American Legion and VFW posts, nursing homes, senior centers, veteran organizations, local businesses, and events, I saw firsthand the emotional impact they had. Veterans paused to read the messages. Some smiled. Some grew quiet. A few wiped away tears.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of our teachers, principals, and school leaders, and most importantly, our students. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the incredible school communities that participated in this year’s effort: Utica City School District, Rome City School District, Whitesboro Central School District, New York Mills Union Free School District, Oriskany Central School District, Utica Academy of Science, Notre Dame Junior/Senior High School, Westmoreland Central School District, the New York State School for the Deaf, the House of the Good Shepherd/Tilton School, and Holland Patent Central School District.

You are helping to instill the values of gratitude, respect, and civic duty in our next generation. You are reminding our veterans, many of whom now live quietly in retirement homes or rely on the support of local posts, that their stories matter and that their service continues to be honored.

This initiative has never been about headlines or recognition. It’s about connection. It’s about making sure the men and women who defended our freedoms know that they are still remembered, still appreciated, and still loved by the communities they served.

To every student who picked up a pen or crayon and chose to say “thank you”, you made someone’s day. To every educator who took time to make this part of your curriculum, you made a lasting difference.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Let us continue to honor our veterans, not just on November 11, but every day, through our actions, our advocacy, and our continued commitment to serving those who served us.