This Valentine’s Day, students from the Appalachian School of Law chose to celebrate not with grand gestures, but with meaningful ones.
A group of 17 ASL students came together to ensure that no one in the community felt forgotten on February 14. The students prepared and delivered 160 roses and personalized Valentine’s Day cards to residents at a local nursing home, hospital, and two group homes — Baxter House and Mountain View — reaching approximately 150 residents in total.
Before the deliveries, students gathered in the ASL library to write and sign each card by hand. What began as stacks of blank cards quickly transformed into heartfelt messages filled with encouragement, kindness, and well wishes.
The visits were more than a simple drop-off. Students spent time speaking with residents, sharing smiles, and offering conversation. For many of the individuals served, small acts of attention carry profound meaning.
The response from the facilities was overwhelming. Both group homes and the nursing home expressed how much the visit meant to their residents and extended invitations for ASL students to return in the future.
Service has long been a cornerstone of the Appalachian School of Law experience. While ASL prepares students for the courtroom, it also instills a commitment to community leadership and compassion.
This Valentine’s Day effort is a reminder that the practice of law begins with empathy — and that sometimes, the most impactful advocacy starts with a rose and a handwritten note.
