Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation launches social media campaign

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF) is inviting the greater Santa Barbara community to join a new "Honoring Our Veterans" social media campaign.

Organizers say it is a way to honor veterans from all service branches (Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard) from yesterday and today for Veteran's Day, November 11.

“This heartfelt social media campaign leading up to this year’s Veterans Day, truly represents Pierre Claeyssens’ powerful legacy which is central to our organization’s mission," said PCVF co-founding directors John and Hazel Blankenship, in a released statement.

Claeyssens, a beloved iconic hero and philanthropist in Santa Barbara, was raised in Belgium. He often spoke of his childhood memories when the US Forces rescued him and his countrymen from the German occupation of World War I. He held the American military in high esteem for the remainder of his life.

“To be killed in a war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst. To be forgotten is the worst.”

The Blankenship's are asking locals to participate in the online campaign by submitting a jpeg photo of a loved one in uniform and include their full name, branch of service and years served. The tribute will post on PCVF's Facebook and Instagram accounts through Veteran's Day and the “Honoring Our Veterans” online series posted on PCVF's website.

“In the spirit of Pierre’s words, we look forward to saluting veterans by showcasing their profiles online. It’s a way we keep alive his dreams that American military history will never become lost in the fog of time.”

For more information, visit PCVF.