For Valentine's Day, Chicago teens, seniors spread love with veterans
CHICAGO (CBS) – Teens and seniors on the Southwest Side are giving back to veterans on Valentine's Day.
CBS 2's Noel Brennan showed us how the gifts they're making by hand come straight from the heart.
Oragami has a learning curve, but love comes naturally.
"I have to make about 10 of them for all the men I loved in my life," said Connie Bednarczyk.
Bednarczyk and her neighbors at Smith Village Senior Living Community team up with teenagers from St. Cajetan School on Chicago's Southwest Side.
They made special Valentine's Day gifts by hand.
"You can kind of be the world's Valentine if you like spread love on Valentine's Day," said Grace Sebby, who has more than one heart to give to people willing to give it all.
"And they're going to veterans?" Bednarcyzk asked. "Nice."
"They are the knitted cloth that help defend our country, and we're so grateful for them," said Eric Chessier, with Rush University Medical Center
He will deliver the paper hearts and cranes to veteran patients at Rush who live with the hidden wounds of war.
"To let them know we love them, and we appreciate them," Chessier said. "When they get these, it really warms their heart."
"And so by showing love for other people, we can be their Valentine in a way," Sebby said.
Perfecting every fold and crease takes practice.
"We're going to be doing this in our sleep," Sebby said.
But this group knows the most important part, by heart.
"Love," Bednarczyk said. "Absolutely, love."
The hand-painted bowls filled with cranes and hearts went to 45 veterans on Tuesday. This is the seventh-consecutive year teens and seniors have given this Valentine's Day gift.