Operation Valentine: An update

Hundreds create cards to distribute to soldiers, veterans

Feb 11, 2023

DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE

A request earlier this week for homemade cards to present to Fort Hood soldiers and local veterans has resulted in a flood of responses by the Bell County community.

“Since the article ran in Our Town Temple earlier this week, we’ve received more than 1,000 cards and they are still pouring in,” said event organizer Dava Villafranca. “We will use all we can get. More cards means we can surprise more soldiers and more veterans.”

“In addition to Fort Hood, the cards will be distributed to local VFW posts and to veterans living at the VA Center in Temple,” she said.

Villafranca is a family service counselor for Letum, Inc., a company that owns funeral homes in Temple, Harker Heights and Killeen.

“There’s still time to make a card and drop it off,” Villafranca said. “Let’s put a smile on a lot of faces this Valentine’s. I was shocked when I found how many had been collected. This is amazing.”

Operation Valentine is in its fourth year, and it has steadily grown.

Cards may be dropped off at Los Tres Magueyes Cantina, 2801 S. General Bruce, and Jason’s Deli at MarketPlace Shopping Center, both in Temple; at Killeen Funeral Home or at Heritage Funeral Home in Harker Heights. The drop-off deadline is Sunday.

“Giving a special greeting on Valentine’s Day is a wonderful way to say ‘thank you’ to our service men and women, and to our veteran community,” Villafranca said.

“Bell County is heavy on the military, and we want to show our local heroes that we care.”

Many of the cards already received were created by school kids, and most have a military theme.