“Helmets to Boots” quest brought back much more

Hunter Stuart, 16, of Warwick, has noticed veterans around him for a long time.

In his recent essay about the importance of veterans, Hunter recalled Memorial Day weekend baseball games during the seventh inning stretch: ”Standing by home plate, family members surround their favorite veteran of all time. The entire stadium shakes while everyone stands and removes their hats.”

Hunter also notices the veterans closer by. He encounters many at the Raymond Hose Company firehouse, where his father Steve has been a volunteer firefighter for 20 years.

”I recently met a man who was shot down three times,” said Hunter. “I didn’t realize he was 92 until he told me.”

Even closer, his grandfathers on both sides are veterans. His uncle, his cousin and his cousin’s wife are all currently in the military.

With this awareness, Hunter had entered the Patriotic Pen Youth Essay contest, answering the question: Why are veterans important? He also spoke about it at a Warwick VFW dinner and was given a certificate of merit along with a $250 scholarship. He described veterans as embodiments of “American hope.”

This experience then prompted Hunter to fulfill his community service hours for school with a veteran project, he said. He devised a donation campaign he called “Helmets to Boots... Warming our Veteran Troops.” He partnered with Warwick Fire Department, Hudson Valley Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Edenville Deli, who all provided donation locations across the region.

In less than a month, Hunter collected over 100 winter gear items to donate to the Warwick VFW post. While he expected to receive items such as hats, gloves, and boots, also donated were about 30 winter jackets and 50-plus pairs of socks, sets of hats, gloves and scarves. Hunter made multiple sets of winter gear items to give to veterans in need. A VFW member who told Hunter about local homeless veterans he knew said he would offer the clothes to them first.