Last April, one truly deserving veteran, Tyler, took part in a very special moment. This was the moment in which he received an incredible gift, a new golden retriever puppy, due to the heartwarming efforts of Guardian Revival’s Boots and Paws program. The puppy is more than just a gift, it’s a testament to the support he deserves for his sacrifice. But what made this occurrence even more special? Well, it was initiated by Horace Greeley’s very own Helping Our Heroes (HOH) Club, a group dedicated to honoring our nation’s heroes.
Founded in 2022 by current University of Texas freshman Ryan Schwartz, the club set out to promote the well-being of veterans in the local community. Their mission statement reads:
“We live in the greatest country in the world. And we must not take our freedom for granted. There are millions of people in this country who put their lives on the line to ensure that we have our freedom and safety. In both times of war and in times of peace, they are making this great sacrifice for us. We must ensure that the needs of our heroes and their families are not forgotten.”
The club has upheld this sentiment throughout its work. Following Schwartz’s graduation last year, the club’s leadership consists of Greeley juniors Bryce Goldfarb and Jake Locke, as well as sophomore Caden Schwartz—Ryan’s brother.
HOH continues to demonstrate its prowess to make a lasting impact. Last year they completed a multitude of large-scale projects. For example, HOH created affirmation cards for veterans and provided them to Northern Westchester Hospital. They attended the medical center’s Veterans Day ceremony, where the club president delivered meaningful cards to Vietnam War veterans. Following this project, HOH began its new venture—a book drive. Collection boxes were placed outside of Scattered Books and the Greeley Global Learning Center, and 100+ veteran-focused books were collected. HOH delivered the books along with a brand-new hand-crafted bookshelf to Westchester Medical Center, a Veterans hospital in Valhalla. In April, HOH was able to provide Tyler with his emotional support dog, and participated in the Memorial Day parade.
As for HOH’s upcoming initiatives, Voices of Valor is an interview project centered around sharing the valuable stories of veterans. HOH club members plan to interview and document conversations with veterans to be uploaded to the Voices of Valor website with snippets to be featured on the Instagram page.
When asked about his outlook for the club’s future, President Bryce Goldfarb said, “We’re continuing our efforts to support the millions of people in this country who put their lives on the line to ensure that we have our freedom and safety. We will continue to raise money for Veteran support, and we will most likely be fundraising for another companion dog.” Through active community engagement and a diverse set of projects, HOH will continue giving back to the veterans community and make sure that no veteran in the community goes unrecognized for their sacrifice. HOH is always looking for new students who want to take part in this meaningful cause.
