Group project strengthens veterans' bonds

VETS ARE LEARNING SOME SPECIALSKILLS THAT KEEP THINGS GROWING.{***ANIMATION**}TONIGHT... VETERANS IN FOCUSTAKES US BACK TO THE CORPUSCHRISTI ADULT DAY CARE... TOTELL US ABOUT A SPECIAL PROJECTINVOLVING THE VETERANS ANDSTAFF.{***BOXES**}OUR VETERANS ISSUES REPORTERGREG CHANDLER JOINS US LIVE INTHE STUDIO WITH MORE.GREG?{***WX PLASMA**}PAUL...WE’VE TOLD YOU ABOUT THECENTER’S VETERANS PROGRAM.WE’VE ALSO INTRODUCED YOU TO ONEOF THE EMPLOYEES... WHO SERVEDABOARD THE LEX.BUT THERE’S A NEW PROJECT... ONEWHICH IS GROWING THE BONDS THESEVETERANS SHARE.{***PKG**}AS THE CORPUS CHRISTI ADULT DAYCARE REOPENED... STAFF WASLOOKING FOR WAYS TO BETTERSOCIAL DISTANCE.THEY FOUND ONE... RIGHT OUTSIDETHEIR DOOR.{***SOT FULL**}STRINGER: It was a project thawas going to be a patio.

Andthen we thought why not just doa garden?OWNER LISA STRINGER DECIDEDDEDICATE THE GARDEN TO THOSEWHO’VE SERVED.MAKES SENSE... AS THE DAY CAREHAS A POPULAR VETERANS PROGRAM.{***SOT FULL**}STRINGER: We just literallyplanted the seeds and it’s takenoff.THERE’S TOMATOES... PEPPERS...EVEN WATERMELON.IT’S BECOME A LABOR OF LOVE...FOR THE VETERANS... AND STAFFALIKE.{***SOT FULL**}LISA STRINGER/CORPUS CHRISTIADULT DAY CARE: We’re every day,out here tending to it.

Weenjoy each other, we enjoy eachother’s company.{***SOT FULL**}ORLANDO BENAVIDES/U.S. ARMYVETERAN: That’s what Iappreciate from Ms. Lisa and Mr.Mike and everybody here.

That’swhat I like about coming hereevery day.CORPUS CHRISTI ADULT DAY CARESTARTED ITS VETERANS PROGRAMABOUT 15 YEARS AGO... AS A WAYTO OFFER VETERANS A PLACE TO GOSO THEY WON’T BE ALONE.A PLACE TO BOND WITH THEIRFELLOW VETS... AND HAVE THECAMARADERIE THAT ONLY VETERANSSHARE.{***SOT FULL**}STRINGER: It’s just blossomedever since then.

We’ve had somany veterans who have come hereand found it as a home, a secondhome.{***WX PLASMA**}AND A REMINDER...THE CENTER’S VETERANS PROGRAM ISOPEN TO ANY VET WHO NEEDSNURSING SERVICES... INCLUDINGMEALS.WE’VE GOT THE CON