Back in October, Marcus Morton and the other seventh grade students at Chautauqua Lake entered into the VFW sponsored contest, which had the theme this year of “My Voice in America’s Democracy”. Morton’s piece focused on the importance of using his voice to advocate for greater recognition of veterans, earning him first place at the local level for VFW Post 8647, also receiving a $250 prize, which was awarded during the Patriot’s Pen Award Presentation at the March Board of Education meeting.

“My dad served in the Marine Corps infantry, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, and received a Purple Heart for being injured,” Morton wrote in his essay. “I feel bad for veterans who don’t have a home like he does or access to therapy if they have PTSD. Many of them haven’t received recognition for their service and sacrifice.”

Morton’s parents, Dan and Linda, are both teachers at Chautauqua Lake. After finding out he had won, Dan Morton said Morton told him that he planned on donating his winnings to help homeless veterans that he had written about.

“In my classroom, after learning he had won the Patriot’s Pen contest, Marcus told me he planned to donate a portion of his winnings,” Dan Morton said. “I was overcome with emotion at his selfless gesture.”

Pictured is the Morton family, made up of Linda, Marcus and Dan Morton. Marcus recently donated his winnings from the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest to help homeless veterans. Marcus Morton won both recognition and $250 from the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest, choosing to donate that money to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.

Morton explained that after writing about homeless veterans, donating to help them felt like something he needed to do.

“I have to donate some of the money,” Morton said. “I wrote about the need to help homeless veterans — I have to follow through.”

As Dan Morton shared his son’s story with friends and family, the impact grew. A fellow Marine Corps veteran and two of Dan Morton’s colleagues at CLCS were moved to donate as well. As the award presentation approached, Morton made the decision to donate his full $250 prize to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. But, with these additional donations, Morton was able to give much more than his prize money, and ended up donating a total of $750.

Dan Morton said that after the meeting on the way home he told Morton this donation and act of giving is what makes him “great and noble”. Both Dan and Linda Morton are very proud of their son for this act, they said, with Dan Morton adding that he and others have been inspired by it.

“We all want our children to grow up and be successful financially,” he said. “We want them to provide for themselves and their families. But we also want them to be moral, to possess character, to show empathy for the less fortunate, and to leave a lasting impact. My son is all that and more. I’ve been humbled and inspired by his example. My 13-year-old son has taught me a valuable lesson, one I’ll never forget. I love you, Marcus.”

For more information about the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, visit nchv.org.