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 First-year teacher Bethany McGaughy reads to her students Wednesday at Cridersville Elementary School. Staff photo/JenniferTangeman By JENNIFER TANGEMAN
Staff Writer
CRIDERSVILLE — Students at Cridersville Elementary School building agree on one thing they like about their new school — it’s big.
“It’s nice, it’s clean, and it’s big,” a fourth-grader studying in Deb Eley’s classroom said.
Students seemed to find a common thread to every facet of the new building, even the bathrooms.
“I like the new bathrooms— those things are huge,” Zac Winget said.
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Residents remember reason |
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Sunday, 24 May 2009 |
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Assistant Managing Editor
A group of Wapakoneta residents have banned together to make sure the true meaning of Memorial Day is not forgotten.
Proceeds from a special concert they planned, “A Veterans Memorial Celebration,” are expected to go directly back to those they are remembering at Dayton Veteran’s Hospital.
“We’re hoping this particular event teaches the young and reminds the old what Memorial Day is really about,” organizer and Vietnam era veteran Ron Frey said. “It’s really about sharing stories, sharing ideas and celebrating memories.
“We want them to leave with a lump in their throat, a tear on their cheek and a smile on their face,” he said.
On Saturday, May 30, the celebration is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Junior Fair Building of the Auglaize County Fairgrounds.
With the assistance of Frey, a former tour manager for famous country acts, Friends of the Vets plans to produce a professional concert featuring The Will Freed Band, an Ohio favorite with local ties, now based in Columbus. The band’s original song, “Sympathy for Pain,” helped motivate the celebration.
Opening ceremonies for the event are to include the lowering of one of the largest American flags to be flown in Ohio, a 21-gun salute, and the playing of taps, followed by a ribbon cutting to start off the event.
Different businesses and groups throughout the community and from Bluffton to Columbus are coming together to donate and provide for the event, during which the inside of the Junior Fair Building is to be turned into a mini-arena, Frey said.
“We’ve put this together in two months,” Frey said. “So many people have come together to make this happen. I can’t say or thank them enough.”
Village Green Garden Center of Wapakoneta is creating an indoor memorial park to highlight and honor area veterans’ photos.
Several members of Wapakoneta’s Riverside Art Center are involved, including Jodi Knoch, who is gathering photographs of veterans throughout the area. Interested organizations and individuals are invited to call her at 419-738-5634 to discuss a memorial photo display for the event.
The event also is scheduled to host both the “Thanks To Our Yanks” mobile memorial wall based in Coldwater and The Ohio Wall promoted by the Chained Eagles of Ohio.
Randy Kah, of Kah Meats, is providing a smoked, pulled pork dinner that is included in the ticket price of $20 per person. Beverages are to be provided by the Wapakoneta AmVets Post 333.
Having played at a 2008 Party in the Parkway through the Wapakoneta Area Chamber of Commerce and regularly last summer at the Inn Between near Botkins, Frey said The Will Freed Band is rapidly emerging as an Ohio favorite.
Will Freed, who began playing at an early age, is a gifted singer and songwriter who grew up in West Virginia making his way through the Kansas City music circuit.
With the release of his debut album with the band, Will has developed his own style, pleasing voice, and skillful harmonica and guitar playing, according to a release.
Kevin Ashba is a talented musician who grew up in Wapakoneta. He is currently working toward his master’s degree from The Ohio State University while playing with the band. Aside from writing and producing his own music, Kevin plays the piano, keyboards and sings.
Shane Roney is a 34-year-old drum line instructor at Shawnee High School in Lima and has been playing professionally for 15 years.
A professional DVD production by MovieMakers of Wapakoneta also is being planned for the concert.
Having traveled to Dayton Veteran’s Hospital for several years to provide a pulled pork dinner event for resident veterans there, Randy Kah, of Kah Meats, is to receive any proceeds from the event in order to continue that tradition. Members of the Chained Eagles and other friends of Kah’s help with a special cookout for the veterans at the hospital each July.
“This all started from a July 4th party I have every year at my house,” Kah said. “I wanted it to have meaning so I took donations at the party and with that money a bunch of us enjoyed traveling to the Dayton Hospital to get as many of them as possible outside and give them a good meal — and hopefully a good day.
“I have a lot of older friends who served in the military and I feel that this is my way to serve them,” he said.
Frey said they plan to continue this event year after year, “anything we can do to help,” he said.
Admission to the event is $20 per person and was limited to 250 tickets but has been sold out. For more information, contact Ron Frey at 419-738-3409. Donations may be mailed to “Friends of the Vets” in care of Linda Nichols, 605 W. Auglaize St., Wapakoneta, 45895.
For up to date information regarding A Veterans Memorial Celebration, visit freewebs.com/harrykhan/
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 May 2009 )
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