PEMBROKE, N.Y. — The Veterans Outreach Club at Pembroke Junior-Senior High School started in 2018 with a little more than a dozen students. Today, it's the largest student club at the school.
"What I wanted to do is start a club where the kids could give back to the community and focus on honoring our local veterans," said Matt Moscato, a social studies teacher and advisor for the club.
For many students, their reason for joining was personal.
"My grandfather was in the military, so being part of the community and helping people who have been in the military, just being out in my community [is important to me]," said Lilly Senko. "He was always out in the community, and everyone loved him."
Senko's mother, Kim, is a co-advisor for the club.
"It says a lot about their character and their values. It really means a lot to be a part of the club," said Kim Senko. "They're learning respect. They're learning how to honor. They're learning about how to reach out and be compassionate and care about other people."
The student club members regularly inspect the flags at the Western New York National Cemetery in Corfu, and they replace those that are tattered and torn. It's a simple way to pay their respects but also emotional.
"It's an honor to do so. It gets emotional, but you've got to push through," said Lily Senko as she wiped a tear from her cheek.
Another way they pay tribute to the fallen heroes laid to rest there is by decorating their headstones with a wreath during the holiday season. The Veterans Outreach Club is currently selling them on behalf of the WNY National Cemetery Memorial Council. You can sponsor a wreath for $17 each, and $5 from each sale goes back to the organization.
More than 1,000 wreaths will be placed at the gravesites on National Wreaths Across America Day on December 16.
"There's tons of people helping out and everyone wants to participate. It's memorable and important to a lot of people," said club member Isla Czechowicz. Her grandfather served in the Marines and is buried at the National Cemetery in Corfu.