Fifth graders get opportunity to thank veterans during parade, event put on by local school system, Michigan Legion post.
In a small Michigan city nestled between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and amidst a howling wind, occasional precipitation and temperatures in the 30s, the opening to a young student’s essay about veterans captured the event happening – and the meaning of Veterans Day – in just a few words.
“Dear savior. Thank you so much for protecting our country.”
Those were the words spoken by Ottawa Elementary School fifth-grader Sydney Kerton on Monday during an annual Veterans Day event coordinated by Public Schools of Petoskey and Carl O. Weaver American Legion Post 194. Around 200 Public Schools of Petoskey fifth-grade students from the system’s four elementary schools took part in a flag parade before finishing up with a program at a downtown park, where the students had an opportunity to thank veterans in attendance through essays and poems they’d written and then read.
“It was so brave of you to leave your own family and sacrifice your life to protect me and my family,” Kerton read. “We are so grateful that you sacrificed everything to protect the U.S.A.”
The parade and program have been a tradition for at least 10 years. Post 194 Adjutant Brian Morrison, Michigan’s 19th District commander, serves as the POC on the Legion side and said it’s a highlight for both the students and Legionnaires.
“It is basically amazing. (The students) all out there and willing to do whatever we ask them to do so they can participate,” Morrison said. “The fifth-grade teachers look forward to it. The kids all look forward to it. It helps the kids put a face to what they’re doing in school.
“In fifth grade they’re doing ‘thank you for your service, veteran’, ‘thank you for keeping us free.’ We get from each of the four elementary schools we get a stack of cards. This gives them a chance to present them directly to us.”
Three other students read from their essays during the program:
· Lincoln Elementary’s Kaydence Holm. “Without people like you, people would be unsafe and unhappy. I have read books about wars, and you truly deserve more recognition. I am so thankful for you.”
· Sheridan Elementary’s Jackson Goethals. “Thanks to all the veterans who served for however long. Veterans are the people who volunteered to risk themselves for the beliefs of country. Veterans are the people who served the U.S. no matter what.”
· Central Elementary’s Scarlet Bozzio. “Thank you so much for fighting for our freedom and rights. No one can forget the people who lost their lives fighting for our country and the ones who made it through the war. We are all very grateful for our rights, and for the people who fought for those rights.”
Program emcee, Kristi Benson, a Sheridan Elementary fifth-grade teacher, comes from a military family. Her husband Tyler is a member of Post 194 and recently retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, while both her father and grandfather also served in the U.S. military.
“This is so important to me. I come from a long line of people who served our country,” Benson said. “I think it’s important for these kids to understand the sacrifices that these members have made. And I just think in a country that’s so divided, to teach the kids about patriotism and love for our honoring those who have served is so important.”
Prior to the program at Pennsylvania Park, the procession of students walked nearly four blocks in 25-mile-per-hour winds – dropping the wind chill to around 35 degrees – from Central Elementary to Pennsylvania Park, waving small U.S. flags while walking the route.
At the head of the procession were two groups of eight students, two from each school, carrying larger aerial flags that were dropped into Post 194’s disposal box but still were serviceable.
Once at the park, post members showed the children how to properly fold the flag before a short program took place.
Two-term Post 194 Commander Eric Kesseler, who helped provide the flag-folding tutorial, said seeing so many young students waving the U.S. flag is “a beautiful thing. I think we need to foster Americanism and patriotism right off the bat, and that (the flag) is not just pretty colors. There’s meaning and sacrifice behind it. It really is heartwarming to see the kids. And they get excited learning how to fold it.”
Sheridan Elementary Principal Mark Oberman said the day’s conditions might have given the children some insight into what veterans face while in uniform.
“For us to walk with them today knowing it was going to be pretty terrible weather, it was just roll with it and realize this is small glimpse of what many of our veterans experienced in their service,” Oberman said. “It’s given them a good sense of gratitude, but also some perseverance in some tough conditions. They see a lot of value in this, and a lot of them know or have family members who are veterans. They understand the sacrifice and how hard it was.”
Post 194’s day started with a booth set up in a prime location outside of a hall at the Odawa Casino & Resort, where hundreds of veterans were provided a free breakfast throughout the morning, courtesy of the Emmet County Veteran Services Office and North Central Michigan College.
Morrison and Kesseler were among those manning the booth, which provided information on the American Legion Family, Legion youth programs and other resources. Other veteran service organization also set up similar displays.
“I think this is important because we’re our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers,” said Kesseler, who served in the U.S. Army from 1996 to 2005. “All the resources that the Legion and all the VSOs offer help not just the veterans, but our families as well. I think there were around 400 veterans (at the breakfast) last year, and that’s just a beautiful thing to see that many veterans in one spot.”
Morrison said having a booth where so many veterans will gather on Veterans Day is “a matter of reaching out to all of the veterans to let them know that we appreciate their service,” Morrison said. “That’s the biggest part of it. We do try to push membership a little bit, but we don’t harass anybody. I get a lot who say, ‘I am a member of your post’ who I haven’t met because they don’t come out to post meetings.”
Morrison has led a revitalization effort that has seen the post grow from 50 members in 2019 to nearly 150 now. “We try to do as much outreach as we can,” he said. “The way I look at it, we’re a brand-new post with a 100-year-old charter.”
- Veterans Day