Volunteer honors veterans with handmade gifts

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - Jerry Sorrells volunteers at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care Center three days a week. During each visit, he brings pen holders he's crafted to hand out to veterans.

Sorrells said it all started when he made his first pen holder and gave it to a World War II veteran he met inside of a grocery store.

"He cried and that was really touching," Sorrells said.

He wanted to find more veterans to give pen holders to and that's when he stumbled upon the Southern Arizona VA.

"I realized I hit the mother load. There are veterans everywhere," he said.

In the last three years, Sorrells has handed out more than 11,000 of his creations to veterans all across southern Arizona.

On the days Sorrells isn't volunteering at the VA, he's preparing for his visit.

"I have to go out in the desert and cut it. Its 64 miles from my house but they allow me to go in and cut limbs off the mesquite trees," Sorrells said.

While it may seem like a lot of work, Sorrells said he enjoy the work.

"When I get up, I don't have to think about what I'm going to do today. I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to be making pen holders."

He said it's a small token of appreciation for the men and women who protect our freedom.

"If you enjoy your freedom, thank a veteran," Sorrells said.