Liberty Bell Chapter #266

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Liberty Bell Chapter #266
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Veterans Day - letter in newspaper written by Sandy Bukowski

This Veterans Day, Give Them the Respect They Deserve
Written by S.G. Bukowski | 05.NOV.08


As we come to November11th and Veterans Day, the reality is that far too many people are aware, or even care, what our Vets have done for us. Of course, if you had or have a family member in the Armed Forces, you may be more sensitive. But …
Case in point. Several years ago, when I was still teaching high school English, I handed out what I thought to be a relatively easy assignment. As the Veterans Day holiday was getting near, I constructed a basic interview outline, and requested students to use this and hand in a 200-word essay on "What a Veteran has Done for Me." Out of the fifty students that were on my roster that year, I received five essays back. Two were to be commended (considering), one had "I don’t know no *&% veteran, and one discussed the pros of hiring a veteran ballplayer for the city’s football team.

Although it has been about ten years since this essay debacle, my sense of shock is still real today. How can this be? Didn’t these students (a good, but small, cross section of the city’s neighborhoods) understand the assignment; hadn’t I taught them correctly… what was it?

What it sadly boiled down to was that they didn’t know, or didn’t care. And unfortunately, even with our current combat situations, many still do not care. How many schools still hold Veterans Day assemblies? Or know the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?

Test it out and ask a student why some schools are closed on November 11th? What does it really mean? What is significant about the 11th on the 11th? Chances are, not many know.

Going back to the homework assignment, my mission was clear! Without going into the very specific whys, wherefores, and whodunits, we turned this around somewhat! I can name at least ten students who came to me and said, "I never knew my Dad was a Veteran."

Thanks to the amazing efforts of Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Post #266, Liberty Bell Chapter on Luzerne Street (who are only one of the many Veterans groups who ask for your always-generous food donations at the holidays) there is a generation of students out there who will make it known what a Veteran is and has done for them.

How about you? Will you hang your flag in your window? Will you have as many signs and flags flying from your porches and doors as you did for the Phillies? Have you done all that you can do to enlighten your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews as to the heroes who are and were out there?

Make it your duty to remember, make it your duty to insure that our Veterans are given the respect and honor that the local hip-hop artist would get if he rode down the street. Take them to the beautiful Memorials that we have in this city. And let’s not forget, to the Veterans: please be proud of what you did for our country! You, more than others deserve that seven seconds of fame that some say we are all entitled to. Thank you for what you have done for us! If you are reading this, thank a teacher, if you are going to a school for free, thank a Vet. Happy Veterans Day!

Re: Veterans Day - letter in newspaper written by Sandy Bukowski

Hunbun...ho ho Sandy,
I have read your letter, and just want to THANK YOU for doing so. I personaly know, as do other chapter members, how much time and effort you have put into trying to make the school children realize the true meaning of our Veterans. I know that you have taken the class on trips to our Memorial, where they spent time cleaning up and planting flags, for Memorial Day.
Those of us that were fortunate enough to come to the school, and speak on the Vietnam Veterans, in a very tiny classroom, until YOU had it moved to the school auditorium.
It seems as though Thanking You, just isn't enough, but it will have to do for now. God Bless You,
Respectively Submitted,
Tom M.
Semper Fidelis