Oklahoma State University: Cowboys For Veterans Bag Program Surpasses Goal By Wide Margin

Press release from Oklahoma State University:

2021-12-14

Media Contact:
Jillian McGee | Digital Communications Specialist | 405-744-6263 | jillian.mcgee@okstate.edu

When Emerson Newell partnered with Oklahoma State University on the Christmas bag
program she and her family had been working on for years, she figured 800 bags was
a solid number.

That number was surpassed in one day as nearly 1,000 of the more than 1,400 Christmas
bags that will be sent to veterans was dropped off on Dec. 1

The program was formed a few years ago to provide those living in the veterans affairs
centers across the state with anything from clothing to toiletries. Newell, a freshman
from Shawnee, Oklahoma, reached out to OSU President Kayse Shrum to see if OSU wanted
to partner on the project.

The Cowboys for Veterans program was officially launched Nov. 12, with a Dec. 13 deadline.
People from around the state heeded the call and brought bags to drop-off locations
around OSU’s campus, including the big drop-off day at O’Brate Stadium at the beginning
of December.

Cheryl Kleeman, director of the Office of transfer and Student Veteran Success, said
952 bags and five boxes were dropped off that day. They came from nine schools, the
Edmond FFA, the Midwest Land Group and the OSU chapter of Gamma Phi Beta sorority.

Edmond’s FFA chapter contributed 325 bags by itself.

The program benefited all seven VA centers across the state, as the more than 800
residents will each have a bag for Christmas.

Students from schools in the area, as well as the Cowboy baseball team, the Newell
family, community volunteers, OSU students and staff met representatives from the
VA centers to help load all the bags up for them.

VA centers are located in Ardmore, Claremore, Clinton, Lawton, Norman, Sulphur and
Talihina. 

The OSU baseball team also held an auction, where they raised around $2,000 to purchase
more bag supplies with. In total, more than $8,000 was raised for supplies to construct
bags. Of that, $4,500 was spent buying bags and contents for the packing event that
Student Affairs and Student Life held on Dec. 8. That packing effort created 100 more
bags.

As there was a surplus for the VA centers, 100 bags were donated to the Homeless Military
Veterans nonprofit organization in Oklahoma City, over 40 bags went to veterans in
the nursing homes in surrounding areas, and another 100 bags are being distributed
to rural nursing homes in northeastern Oklahoma, via the Mannford VFW.

 “As a veteran myself and the child of a veteran, I cannot express how gratifying
it was to see the Cowboy Family pull together to support this effort in such a short
amount of time,” Kleeman said. “President Shrum, the Newell family (Jessie and Emerson),
OSU student Ashlyn Oliver, our K-12 schools and so many others created an opportunity
to give back to our veteran community and we did it! We gave our most vulnerable veterans
a much needed gift of caring and support. 

“I look forward to what we can do for next year!

This press release was produced by Oklahoma State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.