Cool Kid Patrick Sterba provides military with R&R

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (KABC) -- This week's Cool Kid is reaching out to military members. He wants to make sure they get some fun in the sun and he has a program that's doing just that.

Patrick Sterba, a junior at Damien High School, wants members of our Armed Forces to know how much support there is for them back home.

"The Marines will come back from serving like Afghanistan, and they come back and they don't really have much," Patrick said. "I feel like they're under-appreciated a little bit so this is kind of my way of serving those who serve."

Patrick's idea is a charity called Military Beach Day. The goal is to give recently returned service people some much deserved rest and recuperation.

"We've got boogie boards, towels, fins, smash ball, Frisbees, footballs, chairs, easy up, cooler, ice chest, everything. We're providing them an ideal day at the beach," Patrick said.

Right now, Military Beach Days are held along the coast in San Clemente but Patrick has big hopes to expand the program.

"We want other kids, even adults to pick this up and try to spread it along the coast to other beaches and stuff," Patrick said.

He hopes his efforts make things easier as veterans come back home and spend a little time with their families.

"I want them to feel like maybe all my efforts to help this country are worth it because these kids appreciate us and really care for us," Patrick said.

He's a Cool Kid finding a unique way to show support for the military. And in that way, Patrick Sterba is making a big difference.

For more information on Military Beach Days, visit www.militarybeachday.org.