Veterans

West Lincoln Broadwell hosts Veteran Appreciation Day 2018 - With honor and gratitude we remember

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[November 15, 2018]  West Lincoln Broadwell School thanked local veterans with a Veteran Appreciation Day on Friday, November 9th, 2018.

The day began at 9 a.m. with the students, faculty, and staff, and guest veterans gathered in the gymnasium.

Jim Turley played the bagpipes as the American Legion Post 263 Color Guard presented the American Flag. Logan County Veteran Assistant Commissioner and Superintendent Dan Benedict led the school in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Parents, students and teachers sang the National Anthem.

The Wolverine Pom Poms team performed an outstanding routine to Bruce Springsteen's song, 'Born in the U.S.A.' and honored the vets with red, white and blue colored poms.



Emcee, Mr. Joe Schaler, present Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and Chairman of the Veteran Assistance Commission, welcomed the veterans and thanked them for being the reason why we have our freedoms. "I am thankful for all the sacrifices veterans have made and what America has become," said Schaler.

The American Flag was then presented by the American Legion Post 263 Color Guard.

A positive video tribute of army officers active in the military and greeting one another was shown to the students by Erin Shiffer.

Then service theme songs such as the Army, the Navy Ship-to-shore, Coast Guard and Marine songs were played to be recognized by the students and community. The gymnasium resonated with glee as people joined in singing and each military officer stood up and saluted to their coinciding song.

A tribute was made to congratulate the representatives of the Lincoln Police Department by Mr. Schaler. Another tribute was made to the Honor Flight Day, where once a month service men get to take the opportunity to visit the monuments in Washington D.C. "This shows gratitude for their service in the United States," said Schaler.

Guest speaker and retired math teacher at WLB and history buff Bill Donath introduced his book called, Generosity: The Story of Logan County Illinois during the Great War 1917-1919. He taught education at Lincoln Public School many years and attended Lincoln College. He now volunteers at the Logan County Historical Society as a historian.

Although he is not a vet, Donath's book has vital information about WWI and in-depth research about Logan County's contributions to the war.



"When I write books, I look at the effects the war had on Logan County," said Donath. His book includes what happened out there in Europe (who the United States helped), and what was happening back home.

"A chapter is dedicated to the ladies who organized the Hoover Pledge to get food to Europe and encourage food conservation in the U.S.," he said.

"It took team effort to help the Army men," Donath said.

He found hidden treasures in his book research such as the Red Cross would have auctions to help the war. One auction was in Emden and a chicken sold for $1. However, that same chicken would get re-auctioned and re-auctioned until it made $100.

Mr. Donath said he believes that women got the right to vote in 1920 because of their great contribution of diligently working in factories, making ammo, sewing military uniforms, conserving food and buying bonds in 1919 to help the war.

Mr. Donath's book is available at the Lincoln Public Library, the Genealogy Center, and at the Depot on 101 Chicago Street. At the end of his speech, Mr. Donath gave Principal Heather Baker a copy of his book.

Three story boards were presented by Mr. Donath. The first board had posters from the First World War to encourage men to go off to war. Donath said, "The Red Cross posters had circle icons that showed materials for wounded soldiers, and manufactured clothing, and depicted the conservation of coal.

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They would then post these circles on their coal bins as a reminder to save coal for the war industry and to fuel energy to take men over seas. Food conservation was also promoted in the county to ship food to Europe; for the armistice in Belgium was at the end of their season and they were starving. The YMCA made a great impact on WWI. They were known as the USO of World War I."

The second story board presented had pictures in support of people purchasing Liberty Bonds. Donath said the Boy Scouts did a good job selling them.



Another poster read, "WOMEN! Help America's sons win the war, Buy U.S. Government Bonds of 1917." He said women took their egg money to buy what was known as War Stamps or Bonds that had a cash value of $50. Interesting to note one bond could buy:

One rifle at $19.50
One bayonet at $2.15
One bayonet scabbard at $1.13
One cartridge belt $4.08
One hundred cartridges $5.00
One steel helmet $3.00
One gas mask $12.00
One trench tool .50
Transportation cost $2.64

"Five bond issues were made in 1912. The first to support war efforts, the second issue went to build camps, the third and fourth supported the war, and the fifth went to bring men home. Many military men occupied Germany and stayed there till late 1919," Donath said.

The bond program was oversubscribed in all five drives!

"Out of 52 Counties, Logan topped the sell of bonds. They received, in honor, a German canon. It was last seen in the scrap drive to build WWII ammunitions, (it went back to Germany)," said Donath.



The third story board showed posters of Uncle Sam wanting people to join the army. One showed team work to the war effort. Another poster read as a quote, "Rivets are as important as bullets!" A Marine poster read, "I want you in the Navy." There was a poster of a one-year-old child, who would now be 101 years old... possibly a veteran.

Mr. Donath was the guest speaker at the Armistice Day 100-year Celebration on Sunday, November 11, 2018. The posters and WWI artifacts were displayed throughout the weekend at the Depot to highlight Veteran's Day.

Donath also encouraged the community to visit the Logan County Court House and see the plaque that inscribes a list of everyone who has served from the county. The plaque was refurbished this last summer. "That is a great memorial," he said.


Veterans C. Wayne Schrader and Dan Benedict

After Donath's speech, past Commander of the American Legion Post 263, C. Wayne Schrader, led all in singing, 'God Bless America'. Colors were retired and then interviews by the fifth through eighth grade students began.

Army veteran Casey Lore, who served in 2009 in Iraq, told an interviewing student the army food was bad while in station, but the Iraq food was great. He said he ate lamb and goat cheese. "I was what is called an A 14 G-Man with a mission to run the radar equipment," said Casey. He then recalled how his jeep got blown up and rolled over in Iraq. He survived but said he was very angry about it.

Casey said he has 10 medals and the most important one is the Iraq Campaign Ribbon.

He moved to Lincoln from Texas and went to Lincoln College and is currently the commander for the VFW.



The students gave a thank you to the veterans for making this a free country and risking their lives and being out in the open to fight.

The next time you meet a veteran, get to know him and find out what they are all about. Ask where they are from and what they got to do in the service. Have them tell you about their communication with their family while in the service. Find out where they served and what experiences they had in that country. What likes and dislikes they had with food, people and entertainment during the holidays. Find out how they returned to the United States of America after the war was over.

Our country's freedom is all because of the veterans who served with honor and gratitude during WWI and WWII, and involvement in other wars since. We have a beautiful nation rich in natural resources, national parks, forests and ocean side beaches, with the freedom to enjoy these and so much more. We owe it all to the veterans who protect our land.

Joe Schaler said it is all about patriotism in this country and to recognize our vets for that. They fought for you. Thank you veterans!


[Catherine Carkulis]

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