Mike Wolanin | The Republic A.C. Reeves, a U.S. Army veteran of the Cold War, sits on a bench at the American Legion Post 229 Veterans’ Memorial at the Moravian Cemetery in Hope, Ind., Wednesday, May 22, 2019.
HOPE – Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School students will salute the community’s veterans in a special event on Veterans Day.
Members of Hope American Legion Post 229 are invited to post and retire the colors for the student presentation overseen by Hauser social studies teacher and former basketball coach Bob Nobbe, according to post adjutant A.C. Reeves, who also serves as commander of the Bartholomew County Veterans Honor Guard.
Highlights in the school’s gymnasium will be observances written by Hauser teens on what Veterans Day means, Reeves said. There will also be patriotic music, as well as a video featuring Hauser graduates who joined the military.
“I think it features all of us in uniform at some point in our lives when we looked much younger,” Reeves said with a laugh.
The tradition of a student-led program at Hauser is appreciated by American Legion members on many levels, but Reeves says one of the top reasons is that the students are respectful and paying attention.
“Whenever you get a bunch of teenagers together, there’s always someone poking someone,” Reeves said. “But during the Veterans Day ceremony, the Hauser students are always respectful.”
After the hour-long ceremony at Hauser concludes, veterans involved in the presentation will be invited to the Willow Leaves Restaurant, 326 Jackson St. Those who arrive at about 9:15 a.m. will be invited to sit with a group led by Susan Thayer Fye to enjoy a free breakfast, Willow Leaves co-owner Vicki Tedder said.
Although Hauser conducts its Veterans Day ceremony at the start of the school day, this won’t be the first salute to former military personnel at a school that will involve post and honor guard members.
On Wednesday, St. Peter’s Lutheran School has invited his group to be part of the worship service held each Wednesday, Reeves said. While most of the military presentation will be handled by eighth graders, Reeves says his men will post colors, display how how a military flag should be properly folded and present flags representing all branches of the military.
While many schools give students the day off, Reeves said an increasing number of schools have opted to have classes and student-led Veterans Day observances.
“I think that’s because history doesn’t get much attention these days,” Reeves said. “Most kids now think of the Vietnam War as ancient history.’
After breakfast on Friday, the next stop for the Bartholomew County Veterans Honor Guard will be Columbus’ Veterans Day presentation by the Bartholomew County Memorial for Veterans at 11 a.m.
But during the noon hour, many of the former military personnel will do a program similar to what was done in the schools for residents at Mill Race Center, 900 Lindsey St. There will also be a salute at the same facility to veterans performed by the musical group “Lasting Impressions.”
