-Editorial
UniCare hosted its first “Coffee With Veterans” community gathering, Nov. 9, at the Camarena Memorial Library in Calexico, bringing together military veterans, students and community members to recognize military service, share personal experiences and strengthen connections between generations ahead of Veterans Day.
The event, held from 9 to 11 a.m., featured coffee, doughnuts and conversations with veterans, along with the distribution of more than 300 letters of appreciation collected through partnerships with local schools.
Karen Martinez, UniCare’s volunteer coordinator, said the gathering was organized to recognize veterans in her hometown and establish a tradition of community involvement.
“My wonderful team and I collected over 300 letters,” Martinez said. “Usually we distribute them in San Diego at the Honor Flight, but our team decided to keep it local.”
Martinez, whose father, Jose Santos Vindiola, served in the military and whose husband is also a veteran, said her family’s military background influenced her decision to organize the event in Calexico.
She recalled attending Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances in the community from an early age and said the gathering provided an opportunity to continue that tradition while involving younger generations.
“This is my way to thank them and to start this tradition and to get the new generation involved,” Martinez said.
Several schools partnered with UniCare to collect letters and support the initiative, which Martinez credited to the collaboration of her team and community partners.
A central goal was to connect students participating in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or JROTC, with older veterans, allowing them to hear firsthand accounts of military service and experiences during wartime. In this event, the Calexico High School ROTC gave letters to the veterans present.
Martinez said her daughter participates in the program and plans to enter military service after graduating from high school, helping inspire her efforts to connect students with veterans.
“I wanted to bring that to the Valley for them to get in touch with the older generation,” Martinez said. “The stories are different.”
Among the veterans attending was José Santos Vindiola, who reflected on his decades of military service and the importance of recognizing those who served in the armed forces.
Santos Vindiola said he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1955 and served for 10 years before later joining the California National Guard in Calexico, where he served an additional 16 years.
He said Veterans Day observances have become increasingly meaningful as more community members recognize the purpose of the holiday.
“Veterans Day is getting better and better every year because we have more people who realize what Veterans Day is,” Santos Vindiola said. “It’s not just to get together. It’s to honor those veterans.”
He encouraged residents to acknowledge veterans and express appreciation for their service.
“I don’t mean honor me, but just remember them at least,” he said. “If you have a chance, say hello to a veteran. Tell them thank you for your service.”
Santos Vindiola also described his family’s longstanding military tradition, saying three brothers and subsequent generations have collectively contributed 109 years of voluntary military service to the United States.
“It is a great honor for me to wear my cap and know that I gave 27 years of service,” he said in Spanish.
Beyond recognition, Santos Vindiola raised concerns about access to medical services for veterans living in Imperial County, particularly older individuals and those with mobility limitations.
He said veterans frequently face difficulties obtaining medical appointments and must sometimes travel to La Jolla for specialized care.
“It is very difficult once you leave active duty to find a place where they can provide the services you used to receive,” he said.
Santos Vindiola called for expanded local health care services to reduce transportation barriers for veterans who cannot easily travel outside Imperial County.
“We need more health services for veterans here, where they can receive care locally,” he said. “There are many people like me who have difficulty walking, and others who have no way to travel.”
He said additional services in Imperial Valley would let veterans reach appointments with help from family members, friends, or local transportation providers.
“For me, the greatest need is having a place where we can receive health care services,” Santos Vindiola said.
Manuel Alanís, a UniCare representative, said the organization has provided hospice care services in Imperial County for approximately 19 years, assisting patients with terminal illnesses and supporting their families.
Alanís explained that hospice care focuses on improving patients’ comfort and quality of life, particularly for individuals experiencing pain, nausea, and other symptoms associated with advanced illnesses.
“We are a hospice care agency. We help patients who have terminal illnesses feel comfortable at home, without pain or unnecessary suffering,” Alanís said in Spanish. “Many illnesses cause symptoms such as severe pain and nausea, and we want patients to remain as comfortable and peaceful as possible.”
He said patients generally access hospice services through referrals from their primary care physicians, who determine whether they meet the medical criteria for hospice care.
According to Alanís, eligible patients typically have a terminal diagnosis with a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness follows its expected course. Medicare provides hospice coverage for qualifying beneficiaries.
Alanís said UniCare serves patients throughout Imperial Valley, including individuals with various forms of cancer, such as prostate, breast, and brain cancer, as well as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
“Those are among the conditions we are seeing most frequently here in Imperial Valley,” Alanís said.
In addition to providing end-of-life care, Alanís said UniCare seeks to maintain connections with veterans and their families through community outreach and recognition activities.
He said the “Coffee With Veterans” gathering was intended to encourage veterans to participate in community events and remind them that support and appreciation extend beyond Veterans Day.
“We also provide a great deal of support to veterans,” Alanís said. “This event is an opportunity for more veterans to come together, to know they are not alone and to thank them for their years of service.”
Alanís said recognizing veterans remains important because of the personal sacrifices made by military personnel and their families.
“They gave their time, and many gave their lives to protect us and provide the freedoms we have today in this country,” Alanís said. “Recognizing them is the least we can do in return for what they have done for us.”
The gathering took place two days before Veterans Day, observed annually on Nov. 11, when communities throughout the United States recognize the service and sacrifices of military veterans.
