Tribute Moves War Vets To Tears
The pews were packed. Infants gurgled. Proud parents and grandparents looked on. First- and second-graders squirmed when it wasn’t their turn to sing. The Valley Christian School Veterans Day program spun together generations with faith, music, geography and history.
The children sang for men in uniforms and ribbons, men in suspenders and short sleeves, men in beards and leather jackets. Sixty or more men - and three women, all told.
The Veterans Day program is a big deal at Valley Christian. It involves about 300 children, first-grade through high school. Rehearsals start at the beginning of school in September. Now in its ninth year, the program is also performed at Valley Fourth Memorial Church and at the Union Gospel Mission.
“The men down there are so touched,” said Wes Evans, Valley Christian administrator. “They’re not real clean, some of them. They’re off the streets. But they just stand and weep.”
It’s a safe bet that tears fell on Monday, as well.
Admiration, gratitude and pride were almost palpable in the large church. Applause rang long and clear, especially for veterans Vernon Baker, 76, a black platoon leader still due a Medal of Honor for his heroism in World War II, and Dale Swanson, 92, who served on General Patton’s staff before and during World War II.
Younger stars of the morning included these students: David Seeman as Yacky Doodle; Mindy Raggio as the honey-voiced Virginia; Holly Fauerso as a bearded Robert E. Lee; and Staci DuMerton, Margo Myers, Jocelyn Sirmans, Andi Lewis, Viktor Fomenko, Kelly Robertson, Heather Schneidmiller, Janae Monforton, Kara Robertson and Mindy Rice.
Color guard at South Pines
Questions bombarded the Fairchild Air Force Base color guard a South Pines Elementary last week in a Veterans Day program.
As you would expect from kindergartners through fifth-graders, the questions reflected a certain innocence:
“Why do you have a rope around your arm?”
It’s part of the uniform.
“How many F-4s are at Fairchild?”
None. Fairchild’s planes are all KC-135s.
“Have you ever flown a Blue Angel?”
Nope. That’s a Navy plane. We are the Air Force.
Senior Airman Eddie Carnley and the other servicemen answered the children’s questions patiently.
After all, Carnley said he remembered playing soldier games as a child. That was when he first thought about being in the military.
At the end, the children retired from the gymnasium, marching to John Philip Souza’s Stars and Stripes.
“Quiet would be nice,” admonished General, er, Principal Ralph Larsen. “Oh well. If you play a march, I guess they’re going to march.”
Student teachers
The following Eastern Washington University students from the Spokane Valley are student teaching this fall in the Valley:
Kyle Rydell, a 1992 graduate of Central Valley High School, is teaching fifth grade at South Pines Elementary.
Tonie Carneiro, a 1991 graduate of U-Hi, is teaching physical education for Horizon Junior High.
Heidi Holmquist, a 1992 graduate of U-Hi, is teaching 11th-grade English at Central Valley.
Dustin Dobitz, a 1991 graduate of Central Valley, is teaching biology at West Valley High School.
Smokeout girl
Marie Fleming, a University High School senior who won a Chase Youth award last year for her work against teen smoking, is back at it again.
Fleming is part of Spokane Teens Against Tobacco, a group that this month is involved in several anti-smoking education programs, including encouraging Spokane teens to take part in the Great American Smokeout.
Fleming also was featured in this week’s issue of REACT, the national youth magazine distributed with The Spokesman-Review.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos
MEMO: If you have news about an interesting program or activity at a Valley school or about the achievements of Valley students, teachers or school staff, please let us know at the Valley Voice, 13208 E. Sprague, Spokane, WA 99216. Call: 927-2166. Fax: 927-2175.