Murrieta Schools Competing for Valentines for Vets

Murrieta Valley Council PTA is sponsoring a contest to see which elementary school can make the most valentines for veterans.

Six elementary schools in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District are participating:  Alta Murrieta, Avaxat, Buchanan, E. Hale Curran, Rail Ranch and Tovashal. 

"This is the second year students from district schools have participated in the nation-wide effort to send valentines to veterans," said Karen Parris, spokesperson for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

Last year, Parris said students at Alta Murrieta and Tovashal made valentines that were delivered to veterans.

District Superintendent Stan Scheer plans to present the traveling trophy to the winning school on Feb. 10 during a morning flag ceremony.

According to Parris, the PTA will work with the district's Military Support Advisory Committee and USMC School Liaison Officer at Camp Pendleton to distribute the valentines to veterans.

Kelly Breen-Stottman, military chair for the Murrieta Valley PTA Council said about 2,000 valentines were made by students at Alta Murrieta and Tovashal. Those went to to retirement facilities, VFWs, Balboa Island, Camp Pendleton, Loma Linda University Medical Center Veteran's Hospital and other VA centers. 

"This year we are planning on including these same organizations as well as the men and women of our armed forces who are currently stationed in Afghanistan," Breen-Stottman said in an email.

"The valentines going overseas will be taken by military aircraft to Bagram Air Base and delivered to a personnel representative who will distribute them to the deployed troops of the various military branches," Breen-Stottman said.

Col. Mary Aldrian, who is vice commander of the 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March Air Reserve Base, is also the Parliamentarian for the Murrieta Valley PTA Council, Breen-Stottman said.

"She will be helping to coordinate the effort to get the valentines to Afghanistan."

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 1 to include information from Murrieta Valley Council PTA Military Chair Kelly Breen-Stottman as to this year's wider effort to reach more veterans and active duty Military through the contest.