VIDEO: Seton Hall Prep Veterans Service Club Supports Those Who Served Year-Round
WEST ORANGE, N.J. — A Catholic New Jersey high school has an entire service club dedicated to helping veterans all year long.
The members of Seton Hall Prep’s Veterans Service Club make care packages, write letters, and hang American flags to honor the troops. But they say the most rewarding part of their service is when they get to be with veterans. The club has organized outings, sporting events, and casual meet-ups that let students learn from those who have served — and help veterans feel seen, heard, and supported.
“Veterans, especially, earn the added gratitude,” said the school’s director of service, Vincent McMahon. “Without the veterans, where would we be?”
“I can’t tell you how good it feels to be taking care of,” said Marine Lenny Mrozak. “The kids are fantastic. The respect that they show the vets is amazing to me.”
“I think a lot of them feel alienated,” said senior Mattson Palmer. “So for us, we give guys who may not have grandchildren to talk about these issues with. Some of them might not have a lot of opportunities there. And so we give them that chance for interaction.”
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, seven percent of all vets will experience PTSD at some point in their life.