Oklahoma Veterans Affairs Gifts Bracelets To Female Service Members

This Christmas is extra special for some of the women who served our country.

Women veterans at Oklahoma State Veterans’ Homes were given a surprise thanks to the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.

Each of the 30 women veterans at the seven homes across Oklahoma were given Rustic Cuff bracelets as a Christmas gift for “Operation Silk Stocking.”

"We privately buy gifts for our lady veterans, we package them up, wrap them up, and then we go out and just visit and spend time with the ladies and give them their gifts," said Sarah Lane, the Deputy Executive Director of the State of Oklahoma Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Lane says this is the first year the ladies got the bracelets.

"The gift of the bracelets was inspired by my visit to the Norman state veteran's home for Veteran's Day,” said Lane. “The ladies all ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ over the bracelets, so it was clear that was just what we had to do."

Lane says the reactions from the ladies when they got their new bracelets was worth every penny.

"One of the ladies that we gave it to told us when we first met with her that she's legally blind and she can't see much, but even she could see the sparkle of the bracelet and she was delighted when we told her it was pink because pink is her favorite color," Lane said.

She says it’s important to spend time with veterans this time of year and make sure they feel valued for what they have done for the country.

"It honors their service and it helps perpetuate a culture in Oklahoma to value that service,” said Lane. “As veterans, celebrating veterans is something we do to give back to them, to thank them for their service, and also to help celebrate and to help inspire the next generation of service members."

Lane wants to thank those who have gone out of their way to help veterans this holiday season.

"I just want to thank Oklahoma for doing such a fabulous job of celebrating our veterans, and as you see a veteran in the community, whether it's Christmas, whether it's fourth of July, whether it's traditional military holidays, tell them thank you for their service,” said Lane. “And we thank you, Oklahoma, for helping us celebrate our veterans."

ODVA says it hopes to do the bracelets again next year because of how much the women liked them.

For more information on the services ODVA provides veterans CLICK HERE.