Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Veterans Day Mural

Tomorrow, November 11th, is Veterans Day across America. Unfortunately many of us have lost sight of the true meaning of this holiday and just regard it as being a day that many of us can take the day off from various businesses and school. We seem to forget that it was set aside as the one day every year to acknowledge and thank the MANY men and women who have given years, some of them gave their lives, to keep our country free.

To celebrate this holiday, the Wichita County R.B.S.E.S. kindgergarten teachers, Mrs. Cindi Toner and Mrs. Denise Gerstberger, asked if it would be okay to set up a mural to honor some of these men and women with roots here. Mrs. Dawn McKinney, RBSES Principal, was happy to oblige their request. So, late last week, teachers sent notes home with each student in the grade school asking that any interested student bring their relatives' pictures who are serving or who are currently serving in the armed forces.

Our Abigayle took one picture of her Grandpa John Blau. Sadly, we did not have his military picture so she just took his last picture that he had taken at church awhile before he passed away. She took 6 pictures of the "Elder boys" in their military uniforms, including her Granddad Pat, and her great-uncles, Buck, Frank, Red, Dick and Lewis.

Today, I took a bottle of hand lotion to Abigayle. While I was there, I checked out the mural. It was beautiful! I admit that I was choked up as I took a look at all of the pictures on display. Though I did not know all of the veterans, I knew quite a few of them. Pride came across me as I looked at my father, father-in-law and uncles and realized just how very much of themselves that they gave for our freedom. I saw pictures of veterans who had given their all as well as men who had served anguishing time in prisons of war.

One picture that stuck out for me is the picture of my dear Uncle Frank. Out of Roy and Helen (Graham) Elder's 6 sons who gladly went to the service of their country, he was the only not wearing a smile in his picture. He was also the only son whose whole body was photographed. He was so very thin. I remember asking my mother about his physical condition at the time of the picture being taken. She told me that while he was on duty in Africa, he had contracted the horrible disease, Malaria. It literally took him years to completely recover from the devastating illness.

Anyway, I could go on and on about the people in these photographs but I think it best for you to just take a look for yourself. I asked Mrs. McKinney if people from the public could come into the school and take a look at this mural. She said "yes". It will be on display in the hallway about 20 or 30 feet straight north of the principal's office for the rest of November. Please enter through the southern doors. You will find a note on the entrance door asking everyone to sign in on a page of paper just inside the principal's office. It is no big deal. You just need to sign your name, when you entered the building and when you were exiting the school.

I would like to thank the MANY awesome people who gave so very much for our country and her people. Some of these people were away from their loved ones for many of their children's lives. My father-in-law was in Okinawa when his eldest child, Sandy (Blau) Emme, was born. He missed out on so many of her firsts in her life.

VLE-B

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