Honoring our Vets
THANK YOU to all of our classmates
who have served in the Armed Forces
helping to keep our country
strong and free.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
1967
Minister Sam Wright…
1968
Jeffrey Blumengold
1969
Paul Philippe Anglade
Agripino Bonilla
Ira Dagowitz
Dennis Ekelman
Henie Kurzman
Howard Kwiatkowski (1969)
Murillo Millin
George Simpson
Bonnie Spieler (Peterson)
Larry Ulstein
Steven Papkoff
(Fallsburgh Central H.S.)
1970
Ed Degelsmith
Anthony Donofrio …
Richard Fidelman
1971
Eliot Kohn
David Goldhecht
Caudieu David Cook (1971)
NEVER FORGET
DEFINING PATRIOTISM
by Flora Lundberg
If I were to ask you, do you feel you are patriotic?
What would you say?
And when did you first know you had those excited feelings in your heart when the flag passed by? How would you answer? Memorial Day tends to remind us that without patriotism, we would have no heroes honored here today. I gave this a great deal of thought and decided that my first introduction to patriotism came from teaching and by example in my childhood home from my grandparents, who in spite of the hardships and challenges immigrants face, thanked God each day for having been allowed to become Americans.
Grade school also came to mind when learning the Pledge of Allegiance and singing
Then, there was a favorite uncle, a veteran of World War I. That of course, was the war to "end all wars" we thought. He was a lesson for me, too. A lesson in the reality of war. He had suffered the mustard gas attacks in the
Having had a husband in World War II, and a son in the
One of the most moving experiences of my life was a
A recent talk show on ETV Kosovo was being discussed — the bombings and whether American troops should be there at all. Must we be the worlds peacekeepers? The host stated that there are 180 wars going on at this time around the world. 180 wars! How can this be? It would seem we human beings certainly are slow learners!
"Negotiation" seems to be one of today's buzz words, and a theme on all levels of society. But, much too often, countries, groups, couples, parents and children? people in general? don't take time to talk out their problems and misunderstandings.
And, as enlightened as we like to believe we are, discrimination of all descriptions often rears its ugly head. When human dignity is threatened or disregarded, we all are once again in danger of losing our hard-won freedom.
Last summer I rented a house to a nice young couple getting married and moving to McCook to make this their home. This summer they will be taking basic training — Army basic training. I have to admit it is hard for me to picture these two professionals doing basic training... crawling through the mud and under barbed wire. I had to ask myself if they had been doing any pre-training. Actually, they had been running laps, doing sit-ups, push-ups and other vigorous exercise.
In young people like these, I see great hope for our country. Because no matter what needs to be done, I guarantee there will always be Americans — both men and women — who value their freedom and their country so much, they will step forward, unafraid of any challenges they might have to face to keep the peace or to put down aggression anywhere there is the need.
Today, it is appropriate for us here to honor and cherish the memory of all those who have, in the past, stepped forward to take similar challenges. They are all heroes, the veterans of all wars, they who gave all to keep us free here at home and abroad. Their sacrifice keeps