ACTS OF KINDNESS
If you know someone who has performed
an act of kindness, contact us via email at
timesledgernews@schnepsmedia.com.
Holy Trinity students send 150 cards to
WWII vet celebrating 100th birthday
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Holy Trinity Catholic
Academy students in
Whitestone created and mailed
150 heartwarming birthdays
cards filled with well wishes
and gratitude to a World War II
veteran in Texas who requested
100 cards for his 100th birthday.
Joe Cuba, a resident at
Brookdale Midwestern in
Wichita Falls, Texas, will be
celebrating his centennial
birthday on March 2, opening
up stacks of mail sent to him
from across the globe, after
his request went viral on
social media.
A photo showing Cuba with
a sign that read, “I’m a WWII
veteran who will be turning 100
on March 2, 2019. I would like
to receive 100 birthday cards,”
has been shared hundreds and
thousands of times.
According to reports, Cuba
has received more than 2,500
birthday cards and over 100 gifts
from countries like Australia
and Poland.
Parent Hanniah Upton
saw Cuba’s request online and
shared the Instagram post with
Holy Trinity Catholic Academy
Principal Barbara Kavanaugh.
Known for their acts of kindness
giving back to the community,
students from pre-K to eighth
grade began working on cards
for the veteran.
“I really liked doing this
because we were writing to
someone that risked their
life for us, so making a card
for him seemed like the right
thing to do,” said second-grader
Creed Upton.
“I thought it was interesting
that we were able to connect
with someone who had done
such monumental work and
has had such a rich, long
life,” said eighth-grader
Finn Cervino.
According to Kavanaugh,
beyond the rigor of math, ELA,
and the other core subjects, the
school’s mission to help students
be people of service to others.
“Taking time to bring joy
to a deserving veteran, among
other acts of kindness, is what
sets our students apart,” said
Kavanaugh. “I read many of
Students created and mailed a box of 150 birthday cards for a World War II veteran celebrating his 100th birthday on March 2.
Photos courtesy of Holy Trinity Catholic Academy
their cards and was so touched
by their words of gratitude to Joe
for his dedicated service to our
country and for reaching this
wonderful milestone.”
It’s not the first time Holy
Trinity Catholic Academy
has participated in an acts
of kindness project, said
Principal Upton.
“Every winter since I’ve
been to that school, we have a
mitten tree with scarves and
hats for the poor,” said Upton.
“They’re also collecting food
for the soup kitchen. It’s always
think outside of yourself.”
According to Upton, the
students are learning the
concept of giving back to their
community from the age of 3
until eighth grade.
Many of the students are
involved in clubs known as
Mission Very Possible (MVP)
and Vision in Progress
(VIP), where children get
together every Sunday
and go out to purchase
food or clothes, to help the
less fortunate.
“This project with the
veterans is one of many things
the kids do. It’s important
that the kids get this kind of
education — not just reading
and writing,” said Upton.
“Hopefully by the time they’re
adults, they’re showing other
people kindness, it’s a dream
of the principal.”
When Kavanaugh asked
eighth-grader Brandon Pabon
why they choose to help others,
he said, “We’re Catholic. It’s
what we do.”
Kavanaugh added, “The
next morning his classmate,
Nysa Asad, presented me with
a beautiful poster echoing
Brandon’s words. It is times like
this that I know the parents,
teachers, and I have done
our jobs.”
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