Small gestures of kindness and recognition can sometimes have a very big impact on veterans.
The Washington Post recently reported that members of the Washington Nationals professional baseball team decided to give a veteran a truly unforgettable gift. According to the news provider, the team had been in Viera, Florida for spring training, which was also where army veteran Joe Stanfield moved to be closer to a VA.
A lover of baseball, though with his allegiance more tied to the Atlanta Braves, Stanfield was watching the team play at a field very close to the VA when the players walked over. Rather than signing a baseball, the source explained that the team decided to sign Stanfield's golf cart.
"'I'd lose a baseball," Stanfield told the Washington Post. "I don't think I'll lose a golf cart."
The news provider noted that Stanfield had completed three tours in Iraq.
These types of simple, genuine methods of honoring veterans can positively affect a community as well. The Reporter published a letter to the editor from one individual who pointed out that such events have improved the connections across diverse members of his community.