Since I was 7 years old in Dixon, Illinios I have honored and participated in Veterans Day events with my family and friends. This one is special as a couple of Scouts in this Troop are my grandsons. So the tradition marches on. God Bless the USA Veteran. We sleep well at night knowing you are on duty.
HONOR OUR VETERANS
WHEN: Thursday, November 12th
TIME: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Corpus Christi Catholic Church
300 N. Tanque Verde Loop Road
(east of Houghton/north of Broadway)
All Veterans and families are welcome for this special recognition of those who have served our country. The Veterans will be introduced, can share stories from their time in the service, and answer questions from the scouts. Everyone can bring pictures and items for display on the Memory Tables. There will be a flag retirement ceremony and refreshments to complete the evening. The public is invited to this 5th annual event.
HISTORY OF THE EVENT
In 2005, our Boy Scout Troop decided to do something for Veterans Day as we were meeting the day before the official holiday. We had a handful of Veterans attend, including several of our own registered adult leaders. The Scouts demonstrated proper dismantlement of the American flag during readings about the meaning of the flag along with information on flag protocol.
After the Veterans introduced themselves, the boys had a chance to ask questions and listen to their stories. It was the quietest, most attentive Troop meeting we ever had. Afterward, during refreshments, the scouts continued conversations with the Vets until the evening was over.
We decided to do it again the following year and added a flag retirement outdoors during which the Veterans each laid a piece of material in the ceremonial fire while naming a fellow serviceman they were remembering and honoring. The boys and families were very moved by this and requested that we include flag retirement every year.
We now do our opening flag ceremony and go right to the introductions to give our guests more time to share about themselves and their experiences.
In 2008 we had 14 veterans in attendance. From WW2 to a young man currently serving in the Air Force, the scouts were treated to a broad spectrum of military stories. We added a Memorial Table where families could display photos and artifacts of their loved ones’ military career, along with mementos the veterans brought with them such as uniforms, medals and dog tags. The flag retirement ceremony brought many to tears with the heartfelt remembrances of fallen comrades and family members.
Each year, we are privileged to honor our Veterans and the living history that our youth get to experience, along with the warm sense of community, truly embodies the Scout Spirit.
Our Scouts and their families consistently say that it is one of their favorite Troop events; the solemnness, respect and reverence displayed by the scouts during the evening certainly confirms it.
Dana Coyle
T747 Committee Chair
296-6167
danersaz@yahoo.com
—— End of Forwarded Message
Wow – what a way to convene three groups of bigots in one place – the Boy Scouts, the Catholic Church, and the Veterans.
Have to be sure to keep my grandkids away from there – it’s a trifecta
Bigots?
Need a dictionary, Tip?
Not really – I have plenty of real life experience in knowing them when I see them
Well, at least he didn’t say racists, winnieo.
Winnieo,
I do not know why you have called these three groups bigots, but I’m sure you have your reasons. With that, I must say that I am both a veteran and a Scout Master, and I do not agree with your opinion. In which I hope you also respect.
I served because I wanted to be part of a group that I grew up with. I grew up in a military family and I have been able to experience many cultures, countries, and during my experiences, I also made many firends around the world. As big as the world may seem, I come across many people who served our armed forces. These same individuals, many who had families, protected YOUR right to sit behind your computer and call these groups bigots.
I will not belittle you or your opinions as I to have my own. However, knowing what our veterans have dealt with – war, putting their lives in danger to protect our country and your freedom, and the stress of the families left behind as our military goes to war, I can only hope that one day your opinions change.
As for the Boy Scouts, there may/may not have faults, as I am sure you will be very open to discuss. However, I have seen my boys become more confident, more eager to learn, and become leaders among the younger scouts. They are by no means perfect, but they do care for others. Scouting provides an alternative for boys and even girls – through Venturing, that provides training and respect to God and Country. It even teaches them to respect those that belittle, bullies, insults others.
I do not know if you have spoken to a family who has lost a spouse/mother/father/son/daughter. But I hope one day you can attend a ceremony that honors those who put their country in front of their families to protect you and everyone else.
I do not know if you have attended a Court of Honor when a Pack, or Troop, or boy receives their merit badge, or public acknowledgement for doing something good. the smile on their face/s in EARNING that merit badge or the next rank is memorable. They will always be able to remember their experiences with scouts. As a Scout Master for my boys and 13 other boys and their families, the BOYS earn their ranks. They EARN their merit badges. They EARN their emblems.
So, with all of that said, I’m not catholic. So, I cannot comment. I can however say that with any group you always have your “bad apples” who give the entire gourp a bad image. But please consider that your opinions may not be argreed by all and if someone doesn’t agree with you that you also respect thier opinion.
I hope that for all of our veterans and scouts and religious persons can not think badly for Winnieo. There are many reasons this person may not appreciate everything you do, but many of us do. Keep it up!
Winnieo, I appreciate your opinion. But please be respective of everyone elses opinion. I hope this namecalling is not due to inaccurate information that you have received. I too hope you have a great day.
Chris,
Hello. If you look again, you’ll see that comment was made by tiponeill.
Hi az -I see that your effort to get Kevin Jennings fired for being gay hasn’t panned out.
Don’t worry – there are plenty of bigotry possibilities comeing up in the future for you.
Hello tiponeill,
What is it with you thinking I want Jennings fired because he’s gay?
Do you know me? Do you know if the brother I adore and love is gay? One of my sons? Or maybe my very best friend in the world is a lesbian? DO YOU KNOW??
If you are looking for someone to attack who does not support the gay and lesbian community, you’ve got the wrong girl. Where do you get your ideas about people? Why are you so full of hatred toward me, who you don’t even know, to say bad things like that?
I’d appreciate it in the future that instead of assuming I’m something I’m not, just ask where I stand.
I’m the one who has their real face on their avatar, so I’m who and what I say. I have family, friends and coworkers who read these blogs. I’m not hiding and I’m not hateful.
I remember my mother telling me to be careful when I pointed my finger at anyone. It meant I had three pointing back at myself.
The boy scouts and the veterans need to show up with a credit/debit card machine at these functions so that people who don’t carry cash with them can contribute to their cause.
Fret not posters and commenters, anyone who reads the collective comments of Tip, knows he is a bit tipped and permanently angry. I am sure the diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder originated during his adolescence. Chronic provacateur’s are not interested in dialogue.
Nice of you, AzMouse, to make the correction on the author.
Hello SantaCruzSam,
Thanks for your comment. I enjoy coming on here and having dialogue, giving my opinions, and especially hearing other people’s views on issues. I ask questions because I genuinely want to understand why they feel the way they do. I make it a huge point to not be mean or rude even when I’ve been called names.
But when someone insinuates I have an anti-gay agenda, when it couldn’t be further from the truth, it actually hurts my feelings. I know it shouldn’t because he doesn’t really know.
Anyway, thank you.
As a combat veteran of the Marine Corps, a Christian Catholic, a former Boy Scout, and a Troop Leader, and the author of this Blog, I am a bit slighted myself, but mostly just sad, because aberrancy always takes center stage. These postings of all the bloggers are read by very broad audience in multiple states across the nation. We know, because we get the weekly breakdown every Friday. So, I know by way of private emails that there are a ton of good folk out there sifting through the chaff to see the worth of the information we put forth. The statistics indicate that these postings are of value to our readers. We all just wish those with the good-heartedness, coupled with some literary skills and a desire for directional dialogue, would take center stage. Of course I wish all America would take that turn.
I often wonder what Tip thinks the world would look like without, veterans, Boy Scouts and the devout. The irony being that all three of those populations have ‘agape” at their core, brotherly love. We forgive the “Tips” for “they know not what they do”. And, oddly enough we devote our lives to defending them. That is the American way.
Thanks for all the kind comments. Thanks to Mike Brewer for getting the article out. I am looking forward to the event (veteran & scout leader).