By Yasmeen Ejanda, AmeriCorps

One thing I am thankful for during my term of service is to be able to give smile, love & comfort for service members, veterans & their family at Madigan Army Medical Center. As we all experience, being in a hospital or just being sick is so hard and sometimes gets so stressful. This year, I joined Red Cross volunteers wheeling a “goodie cart” containing Valentine’s Day treats for military service members, veterans, and their families being treated at Madigan along with the well-deserving nurses, doctors, staff, and fellow volunteers.

I am so fortunate to be part of AmeriCorps serving with the American Red Cross. Our program help individuals in small but meaningful ways and brighten their day. As we go around we talk to the patients ask about their day as we give snacks, not only the patients but their families too and to all the staff and people we come across.

During our visit at Madigan Army Medical Center we came across this person who is retired military served in Vietnam war and celebrating his 99th birthday, he seems so happy and grateful for what we are doing he also got all the sweets we are offering.

We went around for almost 4 hours giving snacks to everyone. I can say that after our distribution the day went fast, fun but also exhausting, but guess what at the end of the day it is all worth it and so fulfilling knowing that we put a smile and brighter their day at the hospital.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson