Health & Fitness
Young Marines Youth Program Celebrates Veterans Appreciation Week
The Fredericksburg unit was among the national Young Marines youth participating in Veterans Appreciation Week.
The Fredericksburg unit of the Young Marines participated in the 12th annual “Veterans Appreciation Week.”
LCPL Caleb Powers Young Marines, joined other units honoring veterans November 3 - 12.
“The purpose of this special week is to challenge the Young Marines youth membership to honor our nation's veterans and to demonstrate their sincere appreciation for the veterans' service to America,” said Michael Kessler, national executive director of the Young Marines.
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Through the actions of 300 Young Marines units nationwide, veterans were honored in a variety of ways. Units sent thank you cards to hospitalized veterans, cleaned a disabled veteran’s yard, visited veterans in hospitals and planned a community-wide social event with guidance from the Young Marines’ adult volunteers.
“While drug demand reduction education is the primary goal of the Young Marines, close behind is the commitment to honor veterans," Kessler said. When the last of our World War II and Korean Veterans have heard the final bugle call, it will be up to us to ensure to their legacy. All Young Marines take great pride in that,” he said.
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Kessler says the Young Marines units receive positive feedback from veterans’ organizations year after year but especially during and after Veterans Appreciation Week.
The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501c(3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork and self-discipline so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
Since the Young Marines beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 300 units with 10,000 youth and 3,000 adult volunteers in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Germany and Japan, and with affiliates in a host of other countries.
For more information, visit the official website.
