Lopez students thank vets for their service

For the second year in a row, the students at the Lopez Island School took time out to honor veterans for their sacrifice and service. Lopez, Orcas and San Juan veterans, as well as several from farther away, attended the assembly.

More than 250 students, teachers, administration, and community members attended the assembly in which veterans from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm and the current Iraq war were thanked for their service in an hour-long program designed especially for them.

Each veteran was introduced by name, home town, date of service, rank and branch. Some of the veterans’ most memorable moments were shared with the assembly.

A letter home, written during the course of each war, was read aloud to the audience. Many of the pictures painted in the letters were haunting, as they explained the hardships of fighting a war. One letter detailed a veteran’s experience on D-Day when he parachuted from a plane. By the time he landed on the ground his shoot was on fire.

Another veteran wrote his wife about one of his buddies dying. He had promised to write his friend’s wife if anything happened, but he was struggling to find the heart to do so.

Patricia Harris, a Lopez student, read a letter from her older brother Chris, who e-mailed home from Iraq.

The Lopez choir sang “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan, as well as “This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie, to honor the veterans.

The ceremony ended with taps and a moment of silence. The veterans were then escorted out to applause from those present.

The veterans felt honored by the assembly. “It was really well done,” said WWII veteran Rudy Johnson, who traveled from California for the event. “I really thank the school for doing this; it’s a special kind of event.”

“I enjoyed it thoroughly – especially the cookies,” said peacetime veteran Craig Withrow.

“It was a great one,” said WWII veteran Otto Kjargaard.

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