Ossining, NY— For the seventh consecutive year, Ossining High School’s wrestling team will roll out the welcome mat for veterans from the Veterans Administration Hospital and surrounding community on Monday, February 3, at 4 p.m.
The veterans will be treated to mat-side seats at the wrestling match and asked to give the wrestlers a motivational speech. They will also be serenaded by third graders from the Claremont School who will sing the national anthem.
After the match, the veterans will be served dinner courtesy of the Booster Club at Ossining High School and will have an opportunity to dine with, and get to know, the wrestlers. As a memento, each veteran who attends will receive a specially designed T-shirt with the image of the flag-raising at Iwo Jima.
Find out what's happening in Ossining-Croton-On-Hudsonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Why all the hoopla for area veterans? Because the Ossining School District, its students and teachers appreciate the contributions veterans have made on behalf of the nation.
“We do these things so the veterans will feel comfortable coming to Ossining schools and realize that we value them and consider them part of our school community,” said art teacher Ron Whitehead, who is also a veteran. “I volunteer at the Veterans Hospital and vets stop me when I visit to say how much this means to them.”
Find out what's happening in Ossining-Croton-On-Hudsonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The annual wrestling match and dinner is not the only special event bringing students and veterans together. For the past three years, the district has hosted “Invite a Veteran to School” day in November. During that day, veterans from our nation’s wars and conflicts are assigned tables in the library and classes are brought in to visit. Students have the opportunity to make the rounds and speak directly with the veterans about their personal experiences.
Ossining also hosted a Veterans Art Show last year, and conducted a Living History Project. For the Living History Project advanced photography students met with and interviewed veterans and created portraits utilizing the veteran’s image and memorabilia.
