MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Members of the Phyllis Alexander Chapter of the Women Marines Association found true meaning in the words "The price of freedom is visible here" when they visited the Ralph Johnson Medical Center Department of Veteran Affairs in Charleston Saturday, to provide company and a home-cooked meal for the disabled veterans.
Walking down the corridor scattered with American flags, the women went from room to room to visit with each of the veterans, in an effort to uplift their spirits and brighten their day.
The women also thanked the veterans for their military valor, which might have otherwise gone unrecognized.
"You're looking much better!" exclaimed Linda Priest, a volunteer and former Marine, taking note of the improvement in one veteran's condition since she saw him last.
The veteran, struggling to speak, simply gave a warm smile to the women for livening up his morning, which might have otherwise been dismal and lonely.
The volunteers' presence and encouraging words seemed to lift the spirits of the residents, even those who couldn't speak at all.
"I like to see a friendly face," wrote William Bestermann, a deaf Army veteran whose only way of communicating was by using a children's magnet writer toy.
For many of the veterans, seeing a few friendly faces seemed to dim the fact that they were too weak to get out of bed that day, or were unable to get around without the use of a prosthetic leg, a wheelchair or a rolling chair device made of PVC pipe.
"A friendly face, a little smile and a kind gesture goes a long way," said Floyd Mattell, an Air Force veteran who has to use a wheelchair after losing his right leg to gangrene.
Even the nurses who work at the VA hospital notice a change in the residents' behavior whenever the volunteers come to visit.
"It really does brighten up their day," said Tyra Howell, a health technician at the VA hospital. "It makes a difference in that they smile and talk more as opposed to being fussy or grouchy. Some of their family members don't really come to visit them, so they really look forward to the volunteers that come to visit and keep them company."
Along with sharing a few laughs, the volunteers also played Bingo with the vets and gave out stuffed animals as prizes, a simple act that seemed to mean more to some of them than any medals or badges they may have been awarded for their time in combat.
The visit not only made an impact on the residents there, but also on the volunteers.
"I feel really good about doing this," said Brenda Moore, president of the Phyllis Alexander Chapter. "Sometimes veterans are forgotten and it's up to us to show them we appreciate them. Their families are not always around, so it's easy for them to get lonely, so any time someone comes to visit it means a lot to them."
Upon exiting the hospital, the women noticed a poster on the wall, entitled "What's a Vet?" which further reminded them of the sacrifices veterans made to make this country free.
They simply stood there in silence and marveled at the awe-inspiring words of the unknown author who wrote, "He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket who helped liberate a Nazi death camp, who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come ..."
For more information on the WMA, or to participate in their next event, contact Brenda Moore at 379-7092.