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Members of the Mason community put together nearly 300 care packages for wounded veterans at the Intrepid Center Community Hospital on Fort Belvoir. Photo by Lathan Goumas.
A coalition of George Mason University student organizations came together on Saturday afternoon to make care packages as a show of appreciation for America’s wounded combat veterans.
About 100 people took part in the “Celebrating Veterans Day” event in the Johnson Center Atrium, including representatives of Student Government, cadets from Mason’s ROTC detachment and Mason Veteran Patriots, a chapter of the Student Veterans of America. They collectively assembled nearly 300 bags for wounded combat veterans at the Intrepid Center Community Hospital on Fort Belvoir.
“The veterans give so much to maintain the freedoms we enjoy and make so many sacrifices for us,” said Jasper Swann, a sophomore government major and ROTC cadet who is a member of the Student Senate. “I think it’s good that we take a little time to give back, especially to the wounded veterans.”
Actor David Boreanaz had originally been slated to attend the event, but he had to cancel because a raging wildfire displaced the star of the hit CBS drama “Seal Team” and his family from their Los Angeles-area home. Boreanaz instead sent a video thanking veterans for their service.
His absence didn’t temper the day’s enthusiasm as Jared Lyon, the president and CEO of Student Veterans of America, praised veterans for their contributions across college campuses all over America.
Senior ROTC cadet Jared Aylward said that he couldn’t have picked a better way to spend his afternoon.
“Our service men and women are totally comprised of volunteers,” he said. “We ask them to put themselves in harm’s way, and some of them suffer wounds because of it.”