While shopping with his children at the Siouxland Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Sioux City, Iowa, an idea came to Bruce Williams, a member of VFW Post 3061 in Vermillion, South Dakota.

“They had pallets of wildflower seed kits, and my instant thought was how cool it would be to get some for the kids’ teachers to use in class,” Williams said. “But I hesitated because of the price.”

Williams visited the store a couple of weeks later. The price had not dropped, and the pallets were still full. He made an offer: $50 for 250 kits. The store accepted.

Williams and his wife distributed the kits to a handful of classrooms with help from fellow Post member Terry Brady.

“The response was overwhelming,” Williams said.

As days passed, the three kept thinking about how the kits were so well received by both students and teachers, who were excited to grow their own flowers. They wanted to do more, so Williams and Brady returned to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

“We told the staff who we were, what the VFW is and what we did with the kits we’d already bought,” Williams said. “Before we even requested a discount on more, they stopped us and asked how many kits we wanted. That’s when things really got started!”

After several 60-mile round-trip drives between Sioux City and Vermillion, Williams had 2,000 donated wildflower kits ready for distribution.

“Now was the fun part!” he said.

“Seeding the Future” Becomes Official

Williams, Brady and other Post members, including Jackie Voigt, Andy Howe, Jerry Bailey and Ray Decker, began contacting schools and other organizations to distribute kits to. The Post also voted on a name for the program — “Seeding the Future” — and shared it on social media.

“Everything just came together,” Voigt said.

Other members who were eager to participate helped hand out 1,100 flower kits. Before long, they were getting calls from educators requesting more seeds. Originally, Post members thought Seeding the Future would be a one-time initiative, but not anymore.

“Forget one and done,” Voigt said. “This will most likely be a forever program.”

Williams is also optimistic about the long-term potential and impact of “Seeding the Future.”

“We launched this initiative to support and educate our youth through hands-on learning experiences. One of our core missions is to inspire and mentor the next generation. This project aligns perfectly with that,” he said.

“By encouraging children to grow wildflowers, we’re teaching them about responsibility, patience, and the beauty of nurturing life — all values that reflect our commitment to service and community.”

Williams’ wife, Jing, a VFW Auxiliary life member and a teacher educator at the University of South Dakota, echoed her husband’s sentiments.

“Teachers have found the kits to be a valuable educational tool, helping students gain a sense of pride and accomplishment,” Jing Williams said.

Sharing Values and Camaraderie Across Generations

Post members believe older individuals can benefit from the program, too. They plan to extend the initiative to senior centers to promote intergenerational engagement, but as Bailey explained, that’s already happening to a degree.

“As a veteran, this reminded me of how important it is to stay connected with younger generations. Seeing children’s curiosity and excitement firsthand brought me a sense of purpose and joy I hadn’t felt for a long time,” Bailey said. “It’s moments like these that show our service doesn’t end when we take off the uniform. It just takes on new meaning.”

Although Post members put a great deal of effort into this initiative, they stressed Habitat for Humanity’s role in helping bring it to life.

“The generosity of the Siouxland Habitat for Humanity allowed us to reach over 1,000 students and counting,” Brady said.

“Altogether,” Voigt added, “they gave us over 14,000 flower kits and even provided shelves we can use to organize them in our storage unit. Our members made a plaque to show our appreciation.”

‘It’s Amazing What a Small Post Can Accomplish’

When asked why members are Still Serving through the “Seeding the Future” program, Williams explained:

“It’s incredibly rewarding. For many of our members, the initiative holds personal significance. Some were unable to be present during their own children’s youth due to military service. “Seeding the Future” is a meaningful way to reconnect with and support young people.

“And we’re proud to be Still Serving by investing in the future of our community,” continued Williams. “Watching children learn, grow, and take pride in their flowers reminds us that our service continues in new and impactful ways. I’m extremely proud of our members. It’s amazing what a small Post in a small community can accomplish.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) launched Still Serving, a campaign to highlight how America’s combat veterans continue to serve in their local communities after transitioning from the military, in March 2020. What started as a campaign became a movement as veterans across the country stepped up to share stories of how they are still serving.

According to the 2021 Veterans Civic Health Index, veterans average nearly 30 percent more volunteer hours per year and outpace civilians by 15 percent in charitable donations. Additionally, nearly 40 percent more veterans belong to a group working on community issues and veterans are more likely to be registered to vote (7 percent) and have recently voted (6 percent).

All veterans are urged to share how they are Still Serving at todaysvfw.org.