SALUTE TO OUR MILITARY VETERANS DINNER PROGRAM - January 24, 2015
Tonight we take time to honor those in our RV community who have served the military, to thank them for their service. Too often we don’t take enough time to say thank you. Note the many banners around the room that simply say "Thank you." For each of these individuals we honor tonight, remember the sacrifice they gave. Each one of them pledged to serve their country with honor and pride. Each one of them made the decision to give a certain number of years of their life to benefit each one of us by protecting our nations and our freedoms. Some are from Canada, some are from the United States of America. No matter which country where you served, you served your nation well. We thank you for that.
Back home in PA where my husband, John, and I live in the summer, we are honored to volunteer for an organization called Heroes Supporting Heroes. It was founded by a military veteran who saw a need to help others in need. As a member of their board of directors where I serve as their community liaison, I have watched our organization grow in just a few short years. An underlying theme of Heroes Supporting Heroes is to use our God-given talents to help those who have served our country and others in need. Whether it be repairing their home, finding them a decent used car so they can get back and forth to school and work, paying an electric bill so they don’t freeze in cold weather, we believe we owe it to those in need to give back by serving in a different capacity. It is our small way of thanking them.
And so tonight, we want to give back to you, our veterans, for serving us. We want to thank you for protecting our countries.
We are privileged to have with us tonight the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard from our military base just two miles away: Sergeant Hunt, Lance Corporal Taylor, Lance Corporal Morris, and Corporal Kellogg. They will begin our program with the posting of the colors. Please stand and stay standing until the color guard is in place.
Please be seated.
As we recognize each of our veterans, would that individual please come forward and stay standing/seated. We will recognize them in alphabetical order. Some of our honored guests may not be here because of different travel schedules. After we are finished, please remain in front so that we can take a group photo with our color guard before they retire the colors.
RON BLASCHKO from Loveland, Colorado. Served 4 years in the Navy and served in Vietnam.
BRYON BUHECKER, JR., New Waterford, Ohio. Served 8 years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a combat engineer, with two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.
CARL CATES from Gazelle, California. Served 4 years in the Navy with service aboard the USS Midway.
GARY DENNISON from Bay City, Oregon. Served 4 years in the Air Force in the Mideast and European Theatre.
JIM FINSES from Montague, California. Served 5 years in the Air Force in Vietnam and on the B-52 Bombardier.
KEN HALL from Manitoba, Canada. Served 3 years with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the ground crew and radar tech.
ED HAMACHER from Hope, Idaho. Served 2 years in the Army with 14 of those months in Korea from 1957 to 1958.
BOB HARRIMAN from LaPine, Oregon. Served 4 years in the Air Force, stationed in Weathersfield, England.
BILL HOFFMAN from Lakeport, California. Served 2 years in the Army, first as assistant supply sergeant then as armorer in the 10th Division in Colorado Springs.
BEN HOISINGTON from Watauga, South Dakota. Served 22 years in the Air Force, received the Meritorious Service Medal and Bronze Star for
AL JENNINGS from Colorado. Served 20 years in the Navy as an Explosives Ordnance Specialist
REX KITCHING from British Columbia, Canada. Served 35 years with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He received the Canadian Forces decoration all 32 years.
DICK LYMAN from Santa Rosa, CA. Served 3 years with the Air Force. He played trumpet with the USAF band in Washington, D.C., where he played the Memorial Day services at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and served during the Korean War.
JIM PRESTWOOD from Lakeview, Oregon. Served 2 years in the Army.
CHUCK RUTH from Coos Bay, Oregon. Served 2 years in the Army where he served in Europe in Cryptography.
TOM RYAN from Placentia, CA. Served 3 years in the Air Force.
KARL SHULTZ from Toledo, Ohio. Served 20 years in the Marine Corps, during which time he served in the Vietnam War and was a victim of Agent Orange.
Combined, you have served your countries for a total of 148 years. We are honored to have you in our presence and recognize your contributions.
Now we will sing both the Canadian and National Anthems. There are sheets on the tables with the words to follow. If the Canadians would please rise. (PLAY CANADIAN ANTHEM).
Please be seated. If the Americans would please rise and sing the national anthem. (PLAY NATIONAL ANTHEM).
We will take a group photo, then our Color Guard will retire the colors.
Thank you!
Pat Jennette
Activity Director
We had a Large Crowd to honor our Veterans!
Time for some Music and Dancing!
The line dancing crowd continues to grow!
Several of the Ladies got our Marine Color Guard out on the dance floor!
Some more enthusiastic than others!!
February is a very busy month - click the schedule below to see the events!
Our activity schedule is filling up - make sure you check all the events that are planned!
Jim Lucas
Webmaster - 29 Palms RV resort
