Carefree Truth
Issue #700, November 23, 2018
Vice Mayor John Crane handed over the podium. "It is now my pleasure to introduce our Master of Ceremonies. This is his 10th year with us on Veteran's Day. Carefree resident Ted Dimon will guide us through our program. Thank you and enjoy!"
Mr. Dimon joked, "They tell me I have to keep doing this until I get it right!"
Issue #700, November 23, 2018
Vice Mayor John Crane handed over the podium. "It is now my pleasure to introduce our Master of Ceremonies. This is his 10th year with us on Veteran's Day. Carefree resident Ted Dimon will guide us through our program. Thank you and enjoy!"
Mr. Dimon joked, "They tell me I have to keep doing this until I get it right!"
Ted Dimon
Screen shot by Herbert Hitchon
"What a beautiful day we have for honoring all of our veterans. Thank you for joining us today. We want to thank and acknowledge again the Color Guard from the ROTC at Cesar Chavez High School, as well as Capt. Richard Noreika for leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Ashley Walker for leading us in the National Anthem. And a special thanks to Susan Vanik and Arthur Gimson for joining us today. Thank you all so very much".
He proceeded to introduce Barbara Hatch, of the Veterans Heritage Project (VHP). "Barbara Hatch sat down with Susan Vanik in 2009 to plan the first collaboration of Veterans Heritage Project and the Kiwanis Club of Carefree to host a Veterans Day celebration with the Town of Carefree. That was ten years ago. So here we are again, gathering the students and veterans of Carefree, Cave Creek, and close communities to celebrate the connections these young people have made with the men and women in the military who made this day possible for them. All of you who have ever been interviewed by one of the students from the Veterans Heritage Project, would you please stand?"
"Barbara says the creation of Veterans Heritage Project is one of the proudest legacies of her 40-year teaching career. In March of this year, Veterans Heritage Project received a Citizens Award from the Medal of Honor Society. To be granted this award from the veterans themselves affirms the good work the students of VHP are doing."
"She hopes you notice the shirts the students are wearing. The 15th Volume of their book, Since You Asked, is A Salute to The Korean War. Americans may think this war is The Forgotten War, sandwiched between World War II and Vietnam, but not to VHP students. Their goal this year is to collect as many Korean War stories as possible for permanent archiving at the Library of Congress and for the veterans’ children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. For the first time, Veterans Heritage Project is also accepting the narratives of Gold Star Families."
"Frank Zanin, a World War II veteran, passed away on October 2nd. In his obituary and at his service, his daughter asked everyone to donate to VHP to enable them to add more schools to interview more veterans. She encourages all of you to also give of your time, talent, and treasure to help Veterans Heritage Project add to its growing list of over 1,800 American veterans touched by the 1,500 students who have participated in the program. This year, 27 chapters are working with VHP to achieve their mission of Connecting Students with Veterans....... to Honor Veterans, to Preserve America’s Heritage, and to Develop Future Leaders!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back Barbara Hatch, teacher extradinaire."
Screen shot by Herbert Hitchon
"What a beautiful day we have for honoring all of our veterans. Thank you for joining us today. We want to thank and acknowledge again the Color Guard from the ROTC at Cesar Chavez High School, as well as Capt. Richard Noreika for leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Ashley Walker for leading us in the National Anthem. And a special thanks to Susan Vanik and Arthur Gimson for joining us today. Thank you all so very much".
He proceeded to introduce Barbara Hatch, of the Veterans Heritage Project (VHP). "Barbara Hatch sat down with Susan Vanik in 2009 to plan the first collaboration of Veterans Heritage Project and the Kiwanis Club of Carefree to host a Veterans Day celebration with the Town of Carefree. That was ten years ago. So here we are again, gathering the students and veterans of Carefree, Cave Creek, and close communities to celebrate the connections these young people have made with the men and women in the military who made this day possible for them. All of you who have ever been interviewed by one of the students from the Veterans Heritage Project, would you please stand?"
"Barbara says the creation of Veterans Heritage Project is one of the proudest legacies of her 40-year teaching career. In March of this year, Veterans Heritage Project received a Citizens Award from the Medal of Honor Society. To be granted this award from the veterans themselves affirms the good work the students of VHP are doing."
"She hopes you notice the shirts the students are wearing. The 15th Volume of their book, Since You Asked, is A Salute to The Korean War. Americans may think this war is The Forgotten War, sandwiched between World War II and Vietnam, but not to VHP students. Their goal this year is to collect as many Korean War stories as possible for permanent archiving at the Library of Congress and for the veterans’ children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. For the first time, Veterans Heritage Project is also accepting the narratives of Gold Star Families."
"Frank Zanin, a World War II veteran, passed away on October 2nd. In his obituary and at his service, his daughter asked everyone to donate to VHP to enable them to add more schools to interview more veterans. She encourages all of you to also give of your time, talent, and treasure to help Veterans Heritage Project add to its growing list of over 1,800 American veterans touched by the 1,500 students who have participated in the program. This year, 27 chapters are working with VHP to achieve their mission of Connecting Students with Veterans....... to Honor Veterans, to Preserve America’s Heritage, and to Develop Future Leaders!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back Barbara Hatch, teacher extradinaire."
Barbara Hatch
Screen shot by Herbert Hitchon
Mrs. Hatch declared that she never works alone, and asked the Cactus Shadows High School and Sonoran Trail Middle School students to come up to the front. She thanked the Town of Carefree for the shirts from over the years that the students were wearing, for helping them to do this, and for holding some of the books the VHP has produced in the last 15 years. The blue shirts were this year's salute to the Korean War. She noted that this year was a record student turnout.
"10 years to these teenagers is a long time. To many of us here today, not so much. Does it seem like yesterday when you fought in Europe and the Pacific during the Second World War, the frozen hills of Korea, the jungles of Vietnam, manned a missile base or a submarine to keep an eye on our enemies, visited the deserts of the Middle East?"
10 years ago, Mrs. Hatcher, Susan Vanik and Peter Koteas met in a coffee shop in Carefree to consider co-hosting a Veteran's Day event in Carefree. They felt it was too long a drive for many of the veterans to attend the events in Phoenix. If they co-hosted one, would anyone come? How would the word get out and what should be included? Music with songs the veterans would remember was a must. She insisted on "Mustang Sally" for the Vietnam guys. Big Band music got many of the WWII veterans dancing when the teenagers asked them. Mrs. Hatcher danced with one of the WWII vets, and she could hardly keep up; he lost her. Many veteran's groups set up tables then, and are still represented today. Carefree supplies the space, the tables and the chairs. Some years people have worn sweaters, some years, shorts. "Today seems somewhere in between. Gratefully, Sanderson/Lincoln provided this shade."
VHP decided the first year to have veterans sign quilt squares that would be stitched together. It got too big to be hung and is now draped over a ladder. Each year, the Town helps VHP to create shirts. Navy, Purple Heart, Marines, Rosie the Riveter from WWII, in all the patriotic colors. Past VHPers are here today from college or as college graduates. "They all remember this day and you." VHP helped find speakers, but they didn't have any of those the first few years. A couple of Memory Boards have been created. The speakers are on the one on the left. Mrs. Hatch asked the veterans in the audience to raise their hands and for the students to give them a round of applause. "We're here to honor you today."
"Who remembers meeting Andy Raush in 2011, a WWI veteran the armed forces didn't realize was still alive? 110 years old. What a special day. Our beloved Park Shaw and Blaine Keith came every year. Raise your hand if this is not your first time at the event. Yay! We're becoming a legend! If it is your first time, please come back every year. We have fun, especially when they play 'Mustang Sally'!" (Lyn's note: as you can probably tell, 'Mustang Sally' is Barbara's favorite. It was not played last year, and she asked that it be reinstated this year, which is was.)
"Veterans cannot celebrate this special day without young people to thank them for their sacrifices to this nation. It always makes me sad to go to Pearl Harbor Day and there's no one there under the age of 60. It should be filled with young people. So, that's what we're about. These young people are here interviewing veterans for our 15th volume of 'Since You Asked', which is a salute to the Korean War, and that's why we have Major Rowley today as our speaker. Please stop by our table and interact with these young people. They're going to act shy. They are a bit awestruck by you, but they want to thank you. You can even thank them for remembering."
VHP's first gala fundraiser, called 'Saluting Stories of Service', will be held on March 9th. It will include dinner, dancing to Big Band music, and a special award. When VHP was in Washington D.C., they met the real Forrest Gump, whose name is Sammy Davis. He will be here as part of the program. They will be selling raffle tickets. There was an opportunity that day to win 4 free raffle tickets, and Mrs. Hatch encouraged people to stop by the VHP table to sign up. There will be a drawing, and they have some nice prizes. VHP was participating in the Phoenix Veteran's Day parade the following day. Mrs. Hatch noted that she had not seen Peter Koteas in years, but she thanked Susan Vanik, John Crane and Ted Dimon, whom she said has become a legend.
https://vimeo.com/301913337
The Main Event Band entertained the audience with a variety of music for the next 23 minutes. Click on the video and enjoy!
Screen shot by Herbert Hitchon
Mrs. Hatch declared that she never works alone, and asked the Cactus Shadows High School and Sonoran Trail Middle School students to come up to the front. She thanked the Town of Carefree for the shirts from over the years that the students were wearing, for helping them to do this, and for holding some of the books the VHP has produced in the last 15 years. The blue shirts were this year's salute to the Korean War. She noted that this year was a record student turnout.
"10 years to these teenagers is a long time. To many of us here today, not so much. Does it seem like yesterday when you fought in Europe and the Pacific during the Second World War, the frozen hills of Korea, the jungles of Vietnam, manned a missile base or a submarine to keep an eye on our enemies, visited the deserts of the Middle East?"
10 years ago, Mrs. Hatcher, Susan Vanik and Peter Koteas met in a coffee shop in Carefree to consider co-hosting a Veteran's Day event in Carefree. They felt it was too long a drive for many of the veterans to attend the events in Phoenix. If they co-hosted one, would anyone come? How would the word get out and what should be included? Music with songs the veterans would remember was a must. She insisted on "Mustang Sally" for the Vietnam guys. Big Band music got many of the WWII veterans dancing when the teenagers asked them. Mrs. Hatcher danced with one of the WWII vets, and she could hardly keep up; he lost her. Many veteran's groups set up tables then, and are still represented today. Carefree supplies the space, the tables and the chairs. Some years people have worn sweaters, some years, shorts. "Today seems somewhere in between. Gratefully, Sanderson/Lincoln provided this shade."
VHP decided the first year to have veterans sign quilt squares that would be stitched together. It got too big to be hung and is now draped over a ladder. Each year, the Town helps VHP to create shirts. Navy, Purple Heart, Marines, Rosie the Riveter from WWII, in all the patriotic colors. Past VHPers are here today from college or as college graduates. "They all remember this day and you." VHP helped find speakers, but they didn't have any of those the first few years. A couple of Memory Boards have been created. The speakers are on the one on the left. Mrs. Hatch asked the veterans in the audience to raise their hands and for the students to give them a round of applause. "We're here to honor you today."
"Who remembers meeting Andy Raush in 2011, a WWI veteran the armed forces didn't realize was still alive? 110 years old. What a special day. Our beloved Park Shaw and Blaine Keith came every year. Raise your hand if this is not your first time at the event. Yay! We're becoming a legend! If it is your first time, please come back every year. We have fun, especially when they play 'Mustang Sally'!" (Lyn's note: as you can probably tell, 'Mustang Sally' is Barbara's favorite. It was not played last year, and she asked that it be reinstated this year, which is was.)
"Veterans cannot celebrate this special day without young people to thank them for their sacrifices to this nation. It always makes me sad to go to Pearl Harbor Day and there's no one there under the age of 60. It should be filled with young people. So, that's what we're about. These young people are here interviewing veterans for our 15th volume of 'Since You Asked', which is a salute to the Korean War, and that's why we have Major Rowley today as our speaker. Please stop by our table and interact with these young people. They're going to act shy. They are a bit awestruck by you, but they want to thank you. You can even thank them for remembering."
VHP's first gala fundraiser, called 'Saluting Stories of Service', will be held on March 9th. It will include dinner, dancing to Big Band music, and a special award. When VHP was in Washington D.C., they met the real Forrest Gump, whose name is Sammy Davis. He will be here as part of the program. They will be selling raffle tickets. There was an opportunity that day to win 4 free raffle tickets, and Mrs. Hatch encouraged people to stop by the VHP table to sign up. There will be a drawing, and they have some nice prizes. VHP was participating in the Phoenix Veteran's Day parade the following day. Mrs. Hatch noted that she had not seen Peter Koteas in years, but she thanked Susan Vanik, John Crane and Ted Dimon, whom she said has become a legend.
https://vimeo.com/301913337
The Main Event Band entertained the audience with a variety of music for the next 23 minutes. Click on the video and enjoy!
The Main Event Band
Screen shot by Herbert Hitchon
https://vimeo.com/301359822
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.
Screen shot by Herbert Hitchon
https://vimeo.com/301359822
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.