As America celebrates Veterans Day, Wilkes is hosting a fundraiser event honoring veterans that are a part of the Wilkes community.

Mark Kaster, professor of environmental sciences and retired lieutenant colonel of the United States Air Force has helped Veterans Club President Alex Magee and club Secretary Cassandra Mignot plan the fundraiser in honor of those who have served the United States.

Magee, junior pre-pharmacy major, sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and president of the Veterans Council, described the Veterans Club as “a club for military and government service veterans and those who support them. We provide various services, networking and camaraderie to Wilkes University applicants, as well as those currently enrolled at Wilkes.”

Nothing would be possible, however, without a mentor.

“Thanks to our club mentor, Mark Kaster, and our members, we have a great working knowledge of how to best resolve many of the issues that plague veterans,” Magee said.

The goal of the fundraiser is for students to donate one dollar or more and to place the name of a family member or friend who served or is currently serving the military on a yellow ribbon. The yellow ribbon will be attached to a flag which will be placed on the greenway on Nov. 12 to show thanks and honor the veterans that have touched the lives of our students and faculty.

All donations will go toward creating and sending care packages to troops who have recently been deployed overseas.

Wilkes has been named a military friendly school for several years, and Magee would agree with the nomination.

“Wilkes University has shown their support of us by continuing to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, as well as getting several of the FYF classes directly involved with veterans. Many of us have been in areas that are not friendly towards military members, so being a veteran who is part of the Wilkes community has been a very refreshing experience.”

Wilkes has been surprisingly welcoming to veterans, in Magee’s opinion.
“I’ve been surprised on multiple occasions at the level of support that the students here show towards our veterans.”

To show support for Wilkes’ veterans and veterans all over the country, donations can be made to woundedwarriorproject.com or yellowribbonproject.com. Donations of goods can be dropped off at the local VA hospital in Wilkes-Barre.