JC Booth Middle brought the community together to honor those who serve with a Veterans Day assembly.
To kick off the festivities, Scouts presented the colors and led the audience in reciting the Pledge Of Allegiance. The chorus, band, and orchestra performed several classic patriotic selections, and drama students recited the poem “In Flanders Field.”
The guest speaker was US Army Brigadier General (RET) Mark Gelhardt, former Chief Information Officer for the Clinton Administration.
He asked the students in the packed gymnasium to find a veteran and thank them and ask them if they have a story. Gelhardt shared stories of his own, especially of the sacrifices his family made.
One year he surprised his family by coming home at 2 a.m. with the news they had just hours to celebrate Thanksgiving before he had to leave again. That breakfast Thanksgiving memory still stays with him.
His family moved 15 times in 22 years, which was a burden, but it also offered his children the opportunity to see the world. The sacrifices families like the Gelhardts are part of the price many pay to ensure freedom.
“You can do anything you want to in American today thanks to a veteran,” he said. “Say thank you and ask them to tell you a story.”
Following the assembly, veterans were invited to a reception with light refreshments.
Posted 11/14/2024
