As soon as she heard about Hearts of Patriots from co-founder Denise Gula Weller, Linda Lelito didn’t hesitate to get involved. The Elyria-based organization was founded in 2017 to support spouses of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Lelito volunteers as a sponsor for the Hearts of Patriots Adopt a Vet Caregiver for the Holidays program, and she coordinates the Caring for Caregivers program, which connects military spouses with volunteers who support them with encouraging notes, cards or texts.
The caregiver portion of military life hits home with me because I have a son serving in the Army. The military, obviously, can be very demanding. They move a lot, and I’ve seen what the family goes through. I’ve seen how my daughter-in-law has to juggle so many situations to secure housing, schools, doctors and more while supporting my son’s career.
Participating in the Adopt a Caregiver for the Holidays program is rewarding. I put together a box for one gal who had a young family. The requirements were a gift card for groceries and a gift for the caregiver. But knowing she had a family, I filled the box with coloring books, games and things for the family. She sent me a video of them opening it, and oh my goodness, it was the best thing I’ve ever done at Christmas. Her little girl wanted to know who sent all these gifts. “Was it Mrs. Claus?” It’s just very heartwarming.
We could always use more pen pals for our Caring for Caregivers program. That kind word or note or card could make such a difference. We’d like the communication on a frequent enough basis so the gals know that even if they might be in crisis, there’s someone always thinking about them. It’s a commitment, although it’s not a huge one. But it truly can make a huge difference. — as told to Marisa Palmieri Shugrue
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