Veronica Bartoe

East Brady — A girl wants to make her 16th birthday sweet for veterans by celebrating with the American Legion.

Veronica Bartoe of Rimersburg said she’ll celebrate her Sweet 16 at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Bradys Bend American Legion Post 488 with a fundraiser for veterans.

Bartoe, a sophomore at Union High School, is a junior member of the Post’s Ladies Auxiliary. She is the daughter of Vince and Michelle Bartoe of Rimersburg.

“A lot of my family has been in the military,” Bartoe said. “My sister’s in the Air Force right now, and I just really look up to her and to veterans. They’re just very strong people.”

That strength inspired Bartoe to do something special for struggling veterans on her birthday. Instead of a traditional party, Bartoe — whose birthday is on Veterans Day — is hosting a fundraiser for Pets for Vets, a national program that matches shelter dogs and cats with veterans in need of a companion animal.

“Pets for Vets make vets happy and I love animals, too, so it’s like finding happiness for both of them,” Bartoe said.

Kim Beham, president of the Ladies Auxiliary, said donations from Bartoe’s party will go to the Erie chapter of Pets for Vets.

“Especially for vets with post-traumatic stress syndrome, they found that having an animal really helps them because it makes them go outside,” Beham said. “And when the animal greets them when they come home, it makes them feel like someone loves them.”

Beham said Bartoe keeps involved in the auxiliary, volunteering with projects like handing out Christmas presents. Her two older sisters, Vanessa and Victoria, also have organized fundraisers for veterans through the American Legion.

“I’m pretty sure all the board members will be there,” Beham said. “We just think it’s pretty cool. There’s not a lot of 16-year-old people who do this.”

Bartoe said she expects about 150 people at her invite-only party.