Eyal Traeger, 17, decided to honor Veterans Day by organizing Project Mission Military at the West Hempstead Public Library.
Participants in the project were asked to write a letter to active, reserve and military veterans. They could also cut out coupons to be used on base.
“The whole thing is basically helping support the military, whether it’s financially through coupons or emotionally through the letters,” he said. “I’ve always been taught to do the right thing and help people out.”
Traeger provided all the materials for letter-making and coupon-cutting, and set up the station at the library on Thursday night. Between Nov. 7 and 10, students in grades six through 12 were invited to participate in the project during library hours, receiving an hour of community service in return.
“My great grandfather served in the U.S. military, so it led me to do these kind of things,” Traeger said. “It’s important to bring awareness to how influential the military is and how much they impact our lives.”
To collect coupons, Traeger contacted various coupon companies with details about his project and asking for donations.
“I got a whole bunch of coupons,” he said. “Some people just donated them or brought them from their house.”
The coupons will be donated to Troopons, a program that collects coupons and provides them to overseas and domestic military families to help them save money. The letters will be sent through A Million Thanks, a non-profit letter writing network that distributes millions of handwritten messages to active duty service members and veterans around the world, expressing gratitude and supporting emotional wellness in the military community.
The Hebrew Academy of Nassau County senior is heavily involved with the West Hempstead Public Library and, as a member of the Teen Council, he helps organize volunteer programs through out the year.
