Onaway schools honors America?s patriots; ?We owe everything?

by Peter Jakey – Managing Editor

The audience was filled with veterans, students and community members at Onaway Area Community Schools for the annual Veteran?s Day appreciation program Wednesday morning in the high school gym.

The observance honored local veterans, as well as the 23 million members of the military who fought on all fronts in all wars. The celebration included the traditional hallway parade, a dramatic reading of the Pledge of Allegiance, remarks from veterans on the teaching staff, patriotic music from the middle school, the reading of essays by students and the graveside memorial service conducted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5857.

?What a great and important day, a day like today is,? said teacher Steve Watson, opening the ceremony. ?It is a day in which we don?t recognize a single person, we recognize many people who sacrificed their time ? years, some of them, lives for others, so our country can be what it is today.?

WATSON SAID it is one day of recognition, so Americans can enjoy the other 364 days on the calendar. ?As we go through our day, I think it is important to understand as we sit here in a nice gymnasium on a nice fall day here in Onaway, we have former students who are right now overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq?doing things that need to be done, so we can have our lives, and can enjoy those other 364 days as Americans.?

Army veteran Tony Hoffmeyer said it was an honor and privilege to ?celebrate and remember? the veterans who have fought and died and served ?to preserve this land of hopes and dreams.? In his speech, Hoffmeyer said freedom and the cost of maintaining liberties are frequently overlooked. ?It?s vital that we, as grateful citizens and as a people, take responsibility for preserving the histories of our patriots and our nation?s struggles to remain free.?

Max Boettger, another member of the teaching staff who served in the Army and National Guard, was the keynote speaker, commenting on what a veteran means to him. ?A veteran is someone who has given to all and has expected nothing in return. Veterans deserve your respect and your admiration.? Boettger told the audience that when he sees a veteran, he walks up to them and simply say

s, ? ?thank you for your service??I can never repay them, but I, as well as each of you, can thank them.?

ELEMENTARY STUDENTS donned in patriotic attire marched from the elementary wing to the high school to begin the celebration just before 9 a.m. Former school administrator Bernie Schmeltzer led the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

The middle school band, directed by Lexie Signor, performed Marches of the Armed Services, with veterans standing when their anthem was played. They also played ?Amazing Grace.? Technology coordinator Barry Fitzpatrick presented a Veteran?s Day slide show.

Sara Fullerton, Adam Richards and Sarah Marsh read their Patriotic Pen papers, while Temara Lupu, Madison Nash and Emily Estep read their Voice of Democracy essays. Following the VFW service, Kyle Reneau and Massie Huffman played Taps.

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