A World War II-era veteran is about to turn 100 years old, and Texas wants to make sure she knows she hasn’t been forgotten.
Victoria Franco, a resident of the Frank M. Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home in Floresville, will celebrate her 100th birthday on March 21, 2026 — and Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham is rallying the entire state to mark the occasion. Buckingham is calling on the Floresville community and Texans statewide to send at least 100 birthday cards to Franco before that milestone day arrives. It’s a small gesture, maybe. But for a centenarian veteran living in long-term care, it could mean the world.
A Home Built for Those Who Served
The Frank M. Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home isn’t just any nursing facility. Named after the late U.S. Congressman and decorated Vietnam War veteran Frank M. Tejeda, the Floresville home opened its doors in 2000 with a specific mission: to serve those who served. It’s designed to provide affordable long-term nursing care for qualified veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents — a population that, frankly, deserves better than what the private market often offers.
The facility sits at 200 Veterans Drive, Floresville, TX 78114 — you can reach them at (830) 216-9456 — and it’s part of the broader TEXVET network, which operates state veterans homes across Texas under oversight from the General Land Office.
What Life Looks Like Inside
The home has 160 beds total, with 32 of those designated for memory care in a secured Alzheimer’s unit — a significant feature for a facility serving an aging veteran population. Opened over two decades ago, it has quietly become a cornerstone of veteran care in Wilson County and the surrounding region.
So what’s it actually like to live there? One family member, a reviewer named Wayne, put it plainly: “My father is now in Frank M Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home. So far, it has been excellent. His room is clean. They have all kinds of activities throughout the month; they have something every day. They provide them meals plus snacks. The staff members are polite and professional.” That kind of firsthand account — shared publicly — doesn’t always make headlines, but it says something real about the day-to-day.
Still, no institution is without its critics. The home currently holds a rating of 3.3 out of 5 based on reviews — respectable, but not glowing. That’s the reality of long-term care: even well-run facilities carry the weight of difficult circumstances.
The Cost of Care — and Who Qualifies
Monthly rates at the Tejeda home run from approximately $6,280 to $7,285, with potential additional costs depending on the level of services required, according to financial planning resources. That’s notably more affordable than many private nursing facilities in Texas — though for veterans on fixed incomes, even these figures can be a stretch. Federal and state aid programs can offset the burden significantly, and the home’s veteran-specific mission means its intake criteria are tailored accordingly.
100 Cards for 100 Years
Back to Victoria Franco. A century of living. A century that has absorbed wars, recessions, pandemics, and the slow march of decades most of us can barely imagine. Commissioner Buckingham’s card campaign is low-tech, almost charmingly old-fashioned in the age of viral social media pushes. But that might be exactly the point.
Anyone wishing to send a card can mail it directly to the facility at 200 Veterans Drive, Floresville, TX 78114, addressed to Ms. Victoria Franco ahead of her March 21, 2026 birthday. The ask is simple: show up — even just with an envelope and a stamp — for someone who showed up for her country.
One hundred cards for one hundred years. It’s the least Texas can do.
