Youth donates to Veterans

by Northampton VA Medical Center
Public Affairs Office

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., July 12, 2011 — For $29.55, a young person can purchase a new video game, buy a ticket for a day at an amusement park or go to the movies with a friend.

So when Abigail “Abby” Dippel, a 10-year-old from Enfield, Conn., took advantage of a hot summer day recently and set up an old-fashioned lemonade stand, she had lots of choices with what to do with her proceeds.

But instead of spending the money on herself, she donated her earnings to Northampton VA Medical Center’s Visual Impaired Services Team program, or “VIST.”

Abby was recognized for her act of kindness during an annual summer luncheon held earlier this month with legally blind and visually impaired Veterans and VIST staff members.

“What a special young lady,” said Kevin Whalen, president of the Massachusetts Regional Blind Veterans Association after hearing about Abby’s good deed. “To see such thoughtfulness in a young person is very reassuring and hopeful.”

Abby, who is entering the 6th grade in September, said the idea for the lemonade stand and helping Veterans came after seeing Memorial Day remembrances and thinking about how much Veterans have sacrificed.

“They fought for us and it was the right thing to do to honor them and help them,” said Abby, when asked why she decided to donate to Veterans.

During the luncheon, she had a chance to meet several blind Veterans and thanked them for their service.  And she was able to meet another 10-year-old named Orville and made an instant friend. Orville is a yellow Labrador retriever and Whalen’s guide dog.

“He’s really cool,” said Abby.

Petting Orville, Abby commented that she has other philanthropic interests in addition to helping Veterans.  Thinking about her family’s two cats and two dogs, Abby has also raised money to help rescue injured pets and supporting pet shelters.

“She is just a great kid – very responsible and thoughtful,” said her next-door neighbor, Jennifer Baker, who does work with the Northampton VA Medical Center, and whose husband is a Veteran.

Kelli Jarosz, Northampton’s VIST coordinator, said Abby’s donation will help support VIST programs throughout the year.

The VIST program at Northampton coordinates services for more than 275 visually impaired Veterans and active duty Service members in western Massachusetts.