ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – A few summers ago, Winthrop University freshman Christian Hall attended a church youth group community service event. One of the activities involved playing Bingo with the veterans at the William Jennings Bryan Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina.
“I realized that veterans are oftentimes only remembered on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Christmas,” said Hall, a business administration major from Columbia. “They are veterans, however, the other 362 days of the year as well.
“If you ask people my age, they seem unaware of what a veteran is and the sacrifices they have made,” he continued. “It’s important we consider that many of these veterans suffer from issues related to how they were perceived when they returned home. It’s imperative to understand what a veteran is, and how they both interact with and influence their environment.”
Feeling inspired, Hall created his charity, Christian’s Hope for Vets, with his mother, Dr. Alison Post, and stepfather, Master Sgt. John Post. John Post currently serves in the National Guard and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the peace-keeping force in Kosovo.
The charity works to bring awareness of veterans’ causes to Hall’s generation and raises funds to assist several operating veteran-based charitable organizations providing for veterans’ daily needs. In fact, since its creation two years ago, Christian’s Hope for Vets has raised more than $10,000 for its cause.
“Further, our mission is to increase events and visits for veterans at various locations during times of the year other than veterans-based holidays,” Hall said.
As part of his charity work, Hall has:
*Participated in parades throughout the state;
*Spoken at American Legion post meetings and the state meeting of the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary, the latter of which chose him for the President’s Special Project donation;
*Raised funds to replace worn American flags and fund PTSD research;
*Coordinated the first Wreaths Across America ceremony at his church; and
*Spoken at his high school’s Veterans Day Ceremony, among many other activities.
Hall participated in JROTC in high school, earning a rank as a cadet and second lieutenant.
For more information on Christian’s Hope for Vets, visit the website. For more general information, contact Nicole Chisari, communications coordinator, at 803/323-2236 or chisarin@winthrop.edu.
