CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — “Happy birthday to you," rang out from one of the staff members at Caraday Nursing Home.
Her audience was four surprised residents – all military veterans with July birthdays who received homemade birthday cards. Each of them reacted with a grateful “thank you” not knowing who sent them.
"It's nice to somebody who take time out and do something for somebody else. This is perfect,” Ruben Lara, one of the veterans who received a card said.
It turned out the card maker was Sheryl Chaloupka, a retired school teacher in Riviera.
Chaloupka got the idea to make cards for veterans after hearing about a recent request from a World War II veteran from Texas who just turned 100-years-old.
Army Corporal Carl Reid asked for people to send 100 cards for his milestone birthday. Chaloupka obliged and sent him her first 'Card for Heroes.'
Before that, Chaloupka had been making birthday cards to her family members as a way to feel value in her life.
“I have something in my heart that I still want to share,” Chaloupka said. She is homebound, hooked up to an oxygen machine suffering with COPD.
“Sometimes I have good days and I have bad days,” Chaloupka said.
What makes her cards so unique is that Chaloupka uses old drawing and coloring books. She colors and cuts out images and carefully pastes them in place to create a personalized theme for each card.
“When you make a card, you put a part of yourself and your imagination into the card. It helps the person when they get it to see how valued they are,” Chaloupka said.
Being part of a family of 15 military members, Chaloupka feels the recipients of her homemade cards are like family too.
“It's like … you know … it just makes you … makes you just proud,” Chaloupka said.
If you would like Chaloupka to make a card for your veteran, contact her at this email address: sherylchaloupka@gmail.com
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Pat Simon at pat.simon@kristv.com
