"Thomas Jefferson said a democracy is dependent on an informed citizenry. I don't care whether it sounds corny or not. It's the truth." -Jim Lehrer
Carefree Truth
Issue #965, November 15, 2021
Issue #965, November 15, 2021
The 13th Carefree Veterans Day Honor began with the Main Event Band playing "Yankee Doodle Dandy", after which Vice Mayor John Crane welcomed everyone to the celebration.
"Good Afternoon Everyone! We are ready to begin! Welcome to Carefree and the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion. It has been a while. It feels good to see so many veterans, families and friends of vets, familiar faces and new faces here with us today. We appropriately kicked off our program with a lively rendition of Yankee Doodle by the Main Even Band. Yankee Doodle may be the one patriotic song virtually all Americans through generations have ever heard. The song predates the Revolution.
I’m John Crane, Vice Mayor of Carefree. We are set to enjoy an afternoon of memories and music as we honor our veterans. Thank you for joining us.
Through the course of the afternoon, please enjoy the coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and bottled water served by the Carefree Kiwanis Club. The coffee is courtesy of the Carefree Coffee Roastery. The Black Mountain Foothills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution donated cookies. This chapter of the DAR is exceptionally veteran focused. 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of our local Chapter. We are glad you joined us.
(Lyn's note: The still photos Herbert took at the event are in the link below, including the participating local non-profits and the tables of the various veterans organizations.)
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/111121-veterans-day---carefree.html
In addition, if you glance around the perimeter of the Pavilion, you will find several other organizations that care very much for veterans and provide services to vets. During the music break or after the program, stop by and say hello. Maybe you can help them or perhaps they can help you or someone you know. These organizations include:
Veterans Heritage Project with founder Barbara Hatch. This year, as always, our program has been a collaboration between the Town of Carefree and the Veterans Heritage Project.
The Association of the US Army table, manned by Lt. Col. Vic Conner, a veteran having served 26 years including two tours in Vietnam flying helicopters.
The Arizona Youth Leadership Council Phoenix Chapter headed by Col. Dick Minor, U.S. Army retired, a Vietnam veteran.
The USS Phoenix (SSN-702) Cold War Museum Monument table manned by Capt. Pete Lumianski. The Phoenix was a fast attack nuclear submarine decommissioned about 23 years ago. The Museum’s plan is to include parts of the boat, including the sail, in a Cold War Monument in Phoenix. They have an 8 ft. model of the Phoenix on display. As a former submariner, I encourage you to stop by for a closer look and to learn more.
Please stop by the AT&T Veterans table for information about the "Carefree AT&T Veterans Day Charity Three Miler". It includes a one mile walk and a 3-mile run here in Carefree starting this coming Saturday morning at 9 am. Proceeds benefit veteran causes. When the walk or race is over you can stop by and enjoy the Kiwanis pancake breakfast right here in the Pavilion.
And, scattered throughout the audience are members of the Cave Creek American Legion, Post 34. Recently the Post stepped up to maintain the 41 grave sites of veterans interred in the Cave Creek Memorial Cemetery here in Carefree. The flags on each veteran’s grave were placed by the Tribute Riders. We are thankful to both organizations.
Finally, a thank you goes out to our friends at APS for sponsoring today’s event.
It is truly an honor to be here and stand before such a distinguished group. Today we pay tribute and celebrate our veterans and their families – for their dedication, courage and many sacrifices. You have kept us safe, provided liberty and freedom to others and often few of us are aware of or appreciate what you are doing or even know where you are doing it. We are honored to have you with us today.
And to everyone here today, I encourage you to take a moment, if you have not already, to pay your respects and stop by the Veterans Memorial to your right in the other half of the garden. There is a beautiful wreath and flowers at the base of the Memorial.
Now I would like to introduce a special guest who will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, Carol Chang Culbertson, Captain U.S. Navy, retired. She served in the Naval Intelligence Community.
Capt. Culbertson enlisted in the Navy Reserve while a student at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu. On Graduation Day in June 1967, she progressed from Petty Officer Third Class in a Communications unit to Ensign, which for all you Army, Air Force, and Marines is a Second Lieutenant.
During the Vietnam War, Capt. Culbertson served as Assistant Administration Dept Head in Patrol Squadron 31 at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, replacing a Navy Lieutenant Commander pilot. A resident of Phoenix, Capt. Culbertson served in the Navy for 34 years.
Since then, Capt. Culbertson has served as a strong veteran’s advocate throughout the Phoenix area. If you receive an invitation to a veteran’s lunch or fundraiser, there is a good chance she is a part of the organization, and the invitation is from Capt. Culbertson. She has dedicated her life to service – service to her country and to serving veterans.
Colors will be presented by Cave Creek Boy Scout Troop 603. Please rise for the Posting of Colors and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of our National Anthem.
Capt. Culbertson, would you please lead us in the pledge of allegiance? Thank you, Capt.
Please remain standing for the singing of our National Anthem by Keagan Smith, a junior, and Monet Emery, a senior, at Cactus Shadows High School.
Please be seated. That was wonderful. Please give a special round of applause to Keagan and Monet for their beautiful rendition of the National Anthem.
And, well done to the Boy Scout Troop 603 Color Guard. Also thank you is in order to Cub Scout Pack 603 for their assistance in handing out the programs as we all arrived this afternoon."
https://vimeo.com/645433492
"In the past, at this point in the program, I would announce that it is now my pleasure to introduce our Master of Ceremonies, Ted Dimon. But Ted has retired. He served as our MC since our first Veterans Day program in 2009, 12 years ago. Ted, please stand. Ted has been a great MC.
He brought a superb voice, a sense of humor, and the poise to navigate when things did not go exactly to plan. You are a good friend and a neighbor. And you have been the backbone of our program since day one. As a small token of our appreciation, Ted, please accept this gift. For anyone wondering, one of Ted’s favorite places is Harold’s. Ted now has fully loaded Harold’s gift card. If you see Ted enjoying himself at Harold’s, please say hello and thank you.
When Ted announced his retirement, we faced the challenge of finding an MC with that same strong voice and poise. Fortunately, Carefree resident and former U.S. Marine Preston Westmoreland stepped forward.
I’m John Crane, Vice Mayor of Carefree. We are set to enjoy an afternoon of memories and music as we honor our veterans. Thank you for joining us.
Through the course of the afternoon, please enjoy the coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and bottled water served by the Carefree Kiwanis Club. The coffee is courtesy of the Carefree Coffee Roastery. The Black Mountain Foothills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution donated cookies. This chapter of the DAR is exceptionally veteran focused. 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of our local Chapter. We are glad you joined us.
(Lyn's note: The still photos Herbert took at the event are in the link below, including the participating local non-profits and the tables of the various veterans organizations.)
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/111121-veterans-day---carefree.html
In addition, if you glance around the perimeter of the Pavilion, you will find several other organizations that care very much for veterans and provide services to vets. During the music break or after the program, stop by and say hello. Maybe you can help them or perhaps they can help you or someone you know. These organizations include:
Veterans Heritage Project with founder Barbara Hatch. This year, as always, our program has been a collaboration between the Town of Carefree and the Veterans Heritage Project.
The Association of the US Army table, manned by Lt. Col. Vic Conner, a veteran having served 26 years including two tours in Vietnam flying helicopters.
The Arizona Youth Leadership Council Phoenix Chapter headed by Col. Dick Minor, U.S. Army retired, a Vietnam veteran.
The USS Phoenix (SSN-702) Cold War Museum Monument table manned by Capt. Pete Lumianski. The Phoenix was a fast attack nuclear submarine decommissioned about 23 years ago. The Museum’s plan is to include parts of the boat, including the sail, in a Cold War Monument in Phoenix. They have an 8 ft. model of the Phoenix on display. As a former submariner, I encourage you to stop by for a closer look and to learn more.
Please stop by the AT&T Veterans table for information about the "Carefree AT&T Veterans Day Charity Three Miler". It includes a one mile walk and a 3-mile run here in Carefree starting this coming Saturday morning at 9 am. Proceeds benefit veteran causes. When the walk or race is over you can stop by and enjoy the Kiwanis pancake breakfast right here in the Pavilion.
And, scattered throughout the audience are members of the Cave Creek American Legion, Post 34. Recently the Post stepped up to maintain the 41 grave sites of veterans interred in the Cave Creek Memorial Cemetery here in Carefree. The flags on each veteran’s grave were placed by the Tribute Riders. We are thankful to both organizations.
Finally, a thank you goes out to our friends at APS for sponsoring today’s event.
It is truly an honor to be here and stand before such a distinguished group. Today we pay tribute and celebrate our veterans and their families – for their dedication, courage and many sacrifices. You have kept us safe, provided liberty and freedom to others and often few of us are aware of or appreciate what you are doing or even know where you are doing it. We are honored to have you with us today.
And to everyone here today, I encourage you to take a moment, if you have not already, to pay your respects and stop by the Veterans Memorial to your right in the other half of the garden. There is a beautiful wreath and flowers at the base of the Memorial.
Now I would like to introduce a special guest who will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, Carol Chang Culbertson, Captain U.S. Navy, retired. She served in the Naval Intelligence Community.
Capt. Culbertson enlisted in the Navy Reserve while a student at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu. On Graduation Day in June 1967, she progressed from Petty Officer Third Class in a Communications unit to Ensign, which for all you Army, Air Force, and Marines is a Second Lieutenant.
During the Vietnam War, Capt. Culbertson served as Assistant Administration Dept Head in Patrol Squadron 31 at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, replacing a Navy Lieutenant Commander pilot. A resident of Phoenix, Capt. Culbertson served in the Navy for 34 years.
Since then, Capt. Culbertson has served as a strong veteran’s advocate throughout the Phoenix area. If you receive an invitation to a veteran’s lunch or fundraiser, there is a good chance she is a part of the organization, and the invitation is from Capt. Culbertson. She has dedicated her life to service – service to her country and to serving veterans.
Colors will be presented by Cave Creek Boy Scout Troop 603. Please rise for the Posting of Colors and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of our National Anthem.
Capt. Culbertson, would you please lead us in the pledge of allegiance? Thank you, Capt.
Please remain standing for the singing of our National Anthem by Keagan Smith, a junior, and Monet Emery, a senior, at Cactus Shadows High School.
Please be seated. That was wonderful. Please give a special round of applause to Keagan and Monet for their beautiful rendition of the National Anthem.
And, well done to the Boy Scout Troop 603 Color Guard. Also thank you is in order to Cub Scout Pack 603 for their assistance in handing out the programs as we all arrived this afternoon."
https://vimeo.com/645433492
"In the past, at this point in the program, I would announce that it is now my pleasure to introduce our Master of Ceremonies, Ted Dimon. But Ted has retired. He served as our MC since our first Veterans Day program in 2009, 12 years ago. Ted, please stand. Ted has been a great MC.
He brought a superb voice, a sense of humor, and the poise to navigate when things did not go exactly to plan. You are a good friend and a neighbor. And you have been the backbone of our program since day one. As a small token of our appreciation, Ted, please accept this gift. For anyone wondering, one of Ted’s favorite places is Harold’s. Ted now has fully loaded Harold’s gift card. If you see Ted enjoying himself at Harold’s, please say hello and thank you.
When Ted announced his retirement, we faced the challenge of finding an MC with that same strong voice and poise. Fortunately, Carefree resident and former U.S. Marine Preston Westmoreland stepped forward.
Preston served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was honorably discharged as a sergeant in the mid-sixties where, as a journalist, he covered operations in Hawaii, Okinawa, and Vietnam. Later, as one of the first talk show hosts in Phoenix, Preston always tried to honor and showcase the military and veterans. He was inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame and won the Marconi award, radio's "Oscar" for best large market radio personality in the U.S.
Preston has flown with the Arizona National Guard refueling B1 bombers, broadcast his show from the nuclear attack submarine Phoenix and from the deck of the aircraft carrier Carl Vincent while underway, and has flown with the Blue Angels at Luke Air Force Base.
Like any good recruiter, when I enlisted Preston, I failed to tell him that he’s signed on for 12 year stint, just like Ted. Please welcome Preston Westmoreland!"
Preston joked that he should get a bonus if he signs up for 12 years, and said he'd always been a fan of Ted's, who sounds like Orson Wells. He said it was a pleasure to step into Ted's shoes.
Preston and his wife Nancy have been here since before Carefree was a town, and he had hair. He was so pleased and honored by what the town has done over the years to honor the veterans who have served so admirably, and said that we would see some great examples of that today. He thanked everyone for coming. He was glad it was not blowing 50 mph wind and snowing. This is some of the greatest weather in the U.S. One Carefree resident told Preston he was an airline pilot who flew all over the world and could live anywhere, but he chose to live in beautiful Carefree, Arizona. Preston noted that we didn't have a fly-by of the Blue Angels but we had a drive-by of tractors, which he called the charm of the community, and what makes it so neat.
Preston pointed to the model of the Phoenix submarine and told the audience that he and his wife had the extreme honor of being flown by the Navy and going on the Phoenix underwater all day off the coast of Florida, an unbelievable experience. He asked if he could broadcast from the conning tower back to KTAR radio. They replied that their communications system was highly secret and he'd have to use his own cell phone, but that he shouldn't have any problem. They were 15 miles off the coast, with porpoises jumping around. The submarine was getting ready to dive. They were just waiting for him to do his interview. He dialed into KTAR from the top of the tower out at sea, and was told by the lady at KTAR to please hold. He explained that he couldn't hold, that he would be underwater soon. He did 2 interviews, which he called an absolutely amazing experience. So, he hoped they would be able to raise the money for the Phoenix sail and the special memorial downtown.
https://vimeo.com/645439680
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
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.
Preston has flown with the Arizona National Guard refueling B1 bombers, broadcast his show from the nuclear attack submarine Phoenix and from the deck of the aircraft carrier Carl Vincent while underway, and has flown with the Blue Angels at Luke Air Force Base.
Like any good recruiter, when I enlisted Preston, I failed to tell him that he’s signed on for 12 year stint, just like Ted. Please welcome Preston Westmoreland!"
Preston joked that he should get a bonus if he signs up for 12 years, and said he'd always been a fan of Ted's, who sounds like Orson Wells. He said it was a pleasure to step into Ted's shoes.
Preston and his wife Nancy have been here since before Carefree was a town, and he had hair. He was so pleased and honored by what the town has done over the years to honor the veterans who have served so admirably, and said that we would see some great examples of that today. He thanked everyone for coming. He was glad it was not blowing 50 mph wind and snowing. This is some of the greatest weather in the U.S. One Carefree resident told Preston he was an airline pilot who flew all over the world and could live anywhere, but he chose to live in beautiful Carefree, Arizona. Preston noted that we didn't have a fly-by of the Blue Angels but we had a drive-by of tractors, which he called the charm of the community, and what makes it so neat.
Preston pointed to the model of the Phoenix submarine and told the audience that he and his wife had the extreme honor of being flown by the Navy and going on the Phoenix underwater all day off the coast of Florida, an unbelievable experience. He asked if he could broadcast from the conning tower back to KTAR radio. They replied that their communications system was highly secret and he'd have to use his own cell phone, but that he shouldn't have any problem. They were 15 miles off the coast, with porpoises jumping around. The submarine was getting ready to dive. They were just waiting for him to do his interview. He dialed into KTAR from the top of the tower out at sea, and was told by the lady at KTAR to please hold. He explained that he couldn't hold, that he would be underwater soon. He did 2 interviews, which he called an absolutely amazing experience. So, he hoped they would be able to raise the money for the Phoenix sail and the special memorial downtown.
https://vimeo.com/645439680
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Copyrighted
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.