CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN KICKS OFF FOURTH ANNUAL “VALENTINES FOR VETS”

Congressman Pat Ryan Kicks Off Fourth Annual "Valentines for Vets"

Ryan invites community to drop off cards at his Poughkeepsie office to deliver to veterans in advance of Valentine's Day

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Pat Ryan kicked off his fourth annual "Valentines for Vets" initiative, inviting Hudson Valley community members to send or drop off cards to his Poughkeepsie office to deliver to local veterans and veteran caregivers for Valentine's Day.

"Veterans put their lives on the line to keep us safe and protect our democracy - it's the ultimate expression of love for their fellow Americans and for our country," said Congressman Pat Ryan."Each year, it's been remarkable to see the community's outpouring of gratitude to our local veterans. I'm looking forward to rallying together again this year to show them how much the Hudson Valley values their heroism and service."

In the program's inaugural year in 2023, Congressman Ryan collected over 9,000 valentines made by Hudson Valley students and community members and hand-delivered them to veterans at Castle Point VA and Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Valentines were also delivered by his office to Hudson River Housing and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) across the Hudson Valley.

Participants are asked to drop off or mail valentines to Congressman Pat Ryan's Poughkeepsie office at 29 N Hamilton Street, Suites 112 and 113, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. Cards should be postmarked no later than Friday, February 6, 2026 to ensure timely delivery. For in-person drop-off at the office, please deliver cards by Tuesday, February 10, 2026. If delivering multiple valentines, please include a count of the number of cards on a sheet of paper enclosed with the cards. Please contact Congressman Ryan's district office at 845-443-2930 with any questions or for more information.

Congressman Pat Ryan is a U.S. Army veteran, having served two combat tours in Iraq, and is the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in the U.S. House of Representatives. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee and has prioritized sponsoring and cosponsoring extensive legislation to deliver relief for veterans, service members, and military families. Ryan has hosted events celebrating veterans and connecting them with resources, including organizing a "Veterans Week of Action" in November 2023, hosting dozens of community partners for his Veterans and Military Families Resource Fair, and utilizing his mobile office, the C.A.R.E.S. Van, for a series of events bringing direct assistance to veterans at Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) across the Hudson Valley throughout the summer of 2024. Ryan recently hosted veterans from across the Hudson Valley for a breakfast in their honor where he recognized three veterans from Ulster, Orange, and Dutchess counties for their outstanding service to the nation and the Hudson Valley community.

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