Among the many celebrations for Veterans Day this year, student veterans at UB will be hosting a party of their own – one with a purpose.
The club will be hosting a dinner at the Hamlin House in Allentown on Friday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The dinner is open to local vets and their friends and family.
It will feature snacks, food, an open bar and a special guest, Patrick Welch, the director of Erie County veteran's services, who will address local veterans.
Money raised at the dinner will be used to support the UB Student Veterans Club, which is seeking a room specifically for student veterans on campus, where they hope to have computers, printers and a place to gather with other student vets.
' Our focus is to try and make UB more friendly for veterans,' said Nick Hoffman, a junior pre-health major and member of the UB Student Veterans Club. 'Based on the way the war is going, there may be an influx in veterans returning and there's going to be a next generation of vets. We would like to make this an easy transition for them – make easier steps to take, especially for any [vets] with disabilities or handicaps.'
The club has had trouble becoming an officially recognized Student Association club due to the requirements, which include weekly meetings, volunteer time and the fact that clubs must be open to all UB students – when this is a club specifically meant for military veterans.
'Because of the unique nature of a veteran, the average member is older and juggles some combination of work, marriage and kids, school, and sometimes reserve [duties],' Hoffman said. 'These requirements are a lot to ask of veterans who have given so much already.'
Hoffman, who served in the Navy, said veterans who were directly involved with conflicts often find the transition to the classroom to be a difficult one. Veterans suffer from a range of disabilities that can hamper their progress and affect their abilities to enter a civilian lifestyle.
'It's important for us to get rid of the … image of vets being gun toting, shoot-'em-up veterans,' Hoffman said. 'Not all veterans have been kicking down doors.'
Hoffman said that Veterans Day holds a new meaning for him after serving in the Navy.
'Now that I'm in the military and have been a part of the military, my take on [Veterans Day] is that we need to pay respects to [veterans],' he said. 'We need to think about them and appreciate what they've done.'
Hoffman said that he thinks people should not spend the day in mourning, but praise.
'I don't want to sit around and waste my day by mourning that loss,' Hoffman said. 'I want to enjoy the day and take advantage of the sacrifices they have made. And I can still turn around and enjoy those who have served and pay homage as well as celebrate.'
Tickets for the dinner are available through Hoffman at (716) 597-7240 or by e-mail at hoffmannicholas@gmail.com.
E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
