Manchester veterans honored in Klager assemblies on Veterans Day
The flags that line Main Street on holidays were raised for the first time in 1976 for the country's bicentennial. This is just one of the things Klagers students learned Friday at the Veterans Day assembly.
On Friday afternoon, Klager Elementary School held two, hour-long Veterans Day assemblies both in honor of Manchester’s veterans and in order to educate the students. Attended by the members of Manchester’s American Legion Post including Lauren Huber, Bob Trent, Francis Heckaman, Chuck Steele, Jerry Miller, Lester Koch, and Doug Harvey, as well as Legion Auxiliary members, the cafeteria was filled with local youngsters. Students heard a poem recited by this year’s Miss Poppy, Lila Harvey, then learned what it means to be a veteran, watched a video about the different armed forces, heard the songs for each of the armed forces, learned about the Merchant Marines, learned the history of Veterans Day, and got to look at a Purple Heart awarded to a Manchester man killed in World War II.
The students also learned when to retire a flag, how to properly dispose of a flag, how to fold a flag and what each fold means, and the history of the different designs of the flag. They were told to always place their hand over their hearts and stand at attention when a flag is raised or goes by in a parade, and lastly, were each given a small flag to take home with them.
Klager’s principal, Karin Villarreal explained that the assembly started out as a way to get students to understand veterans and veteran's day. Working with Rita Huber from the Legion Auxiliary, they created a school-wide information session. The Auxiliary purchased the 4x6 inch flags for each student as a reminder of the event. Huber then recruited Legion Commander, Lester Koch and Legion members to attend the event and show the children and adults present how to fold a flag and discuss flag etiquette. Huber also invited Bob Trent and Francis Heckaman, WWII veterans in their 90’s, so they might be honored and remembered. Villarreal stated that these two men were “amazing to speak with and listen to, they are true gentlemen”. She hopes to expand the event next year and invite all veterans to come in appreciation for all they have done.
Klager students had decorated the halls with thank-you signs and had made a “Wall of Veterans” with photos of veterans. Villarreal stated that she hopes to keep the Thank you wall up through the holidays and then find a location in the community to display it. In addition to the wall, student’s made cookie trays and cards for the veterans in attendance, of which the extras of went to the Legion Veterans Day dinner to be shared. Villarreal thanked a veteran on the Klager staff, specifically, “I am most thankful to Mrs. Irene Stedman, our amazing Veteran custodian, who cleaned up the lunchroom super quick so we would have the perfect environment for our event.”
During the assembly, Villarreal also pointed out the new parking spot in the school parking lot set aside for combat-wounded veterans. She explained afterwards that John Mooneyham had helped her make it happen. She stated, “The Wounded Warrior parking space came from a wonderful Facebook post I saw last year. It talked about how a parking space painted purple was to honor or be used by any Wounded serviceman or woman as needed. I sent the idea to Mr. Mooneyham, along with 50 other things I wanted for Klager. By the time it came across his desk it was too cold to paint the parking space. Through the winter he did more research and found a company that made signs for each space. It took some time but the district ordered three signs to be placed at Klager, the Middle School, and the High school.”
The Legion is an organization for any active military members or veterans. The Auxiliary is a support group of mostly military spouses.
Editors Note: 11-15-16 This article has been updated with more complete information since it's original publication.
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