Veterans to veterans

Today, I had the honor of spending the day both in person and Zoom with a dozen veterans. It was here that I finally had the chance to offer a handcrafted gift from an American hero, a man I call my friend. Let me go back a few months… .

In October, I sat with a dear friend of mine, Raymond Ogle. Ray is a WWII veteran of the Battle of the Bulge. He spent a winter in Bastogne and earned the Legion of Honor from the French. At 98, he has found his mission through knitting hats for those in great need. While visiting, I picked up almost 300 of his knitted hats to offer to the homeless and members of the Malden community.

I’ll never forget Ray’s words: “I know what it feels like to be cold and not be able to do anything about it.”

But that wasn’t all. He knitted a bag filled with red, white, and blue colors. Looking at me, he asked that I make sure veterans get these hats. Well, I could not think of a group of men and women more deserving than the board of Veterans Community Response.

As I told them the story about the man who made them and pulled the hats from the bag, their eyes opened wide. They were honored. There is no doubt that these gifts will be cherished for a lifetime.

Thank you Ray for your compassion and service.

Kelly Kiki, board member, Veterans Community Response

Mead