LAUREL HILL — Nearly 120 elementary school kids stood and applauded as 13 American war veterans processed into the Laurel Hill School auditorium for the annual Veterans Day Celebration. The service members ranged from World War II heroes from “the greatest generation” to a Navy reservist still serving.

“They have served our country; they have protected our freedoms,” Principal Susan Lowery-Sexton said. “We are so honored to have them with us today.”

Lowery-Sexton’s father, World War II veteran James Cook, showed ribbons and medals he earned during the conflict. He shared vivid descriptions of digging foxholes, going weeks without a shower and eating military field rations.

Navy reservist Capt. Bonnie Halderson-Ritter described her role as a medic on a hospital ship to an eager group of students.

“We help our soldiers who have been wounded on the battlefield,” the 24-year veteran said. “It’s an honor to go out to a hospital ship and provide care to our troops.”

“When I was young, they didn’t have anything like this to share with the kids,” Bill Brown, the Crestview VFW post’s former commander, said. “I had my dad’s stories, though. Dad was in the Navy (in World War II). They shot down 200 Kamikazes from their ship.”

Students, particularly participants, showed respect for military sacrifice with symbolic gestures.

In a solemn moment, Pvt. Bailee Joy, a 12-year-old member of the Crestview Young Marines and Laurel Hill School sixth-grader, presented a service member’s hat at the lone place setting at the POW/MIA "White Table." After carefully turning the goblet upside down to indicate the missing service members would not drink with comrades at the event, she stepped back and saluted.

Bailee said the ceremony gave her a sense of pride.

“It was kind of like, when you’re done, you feel the patriotism and are proud of your country,” she said.

Sixth-grader Brandon Christensen said he enjoyed discussing aircraft, one of his interests, with retired Air Force Maj. Bryan Hooper.

“He told us about some of the big warships he was on and the planes,” Brandon said. “He said he went Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound) in an F15. It was cool.”

High school students in Lena Steele’s leadership class helped organize the event, at which senior Garrett Alford served as master of ceremonies.

“It is just an honor,” Garrett said. “I was glad to do it. I love hearing (veterans’) stories and I appreciate everything they have done for us.”

Hearing veterans’ accounts should help students understand material they learn in history classes, Brown said.

It was a lesson junior William Rorech takes to heart.

“I think it’s an incredible program,” William said. “It’s history. It’s their first-hand experience of that history. It’s not something you read in history books that somebody who found documentation wrote about.

“These people lived it.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill students come face to face with American heroes

LAUREL HILL — With the holidays just around the corner, the north county town of Laurel Hill prepares for its annual launch of the season with its community-wide Harvest Supper.

“This is when as many of our Laurel Hill churches as possible come together each year for a combined service and supper on the Wednesday one week before Thanksgiving,” the Rev. Mike McVay, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Laurel Hill, said. “The service is led by a different local congregation each year. We are proud to have Ebenezer Baptist joining us this year, and they will be leading the worship service with their pastor, Brother Jonathan Shepherd, bringing the message.”

The supper is always held in First Baptist Church’s Fellowship Hall, which has the largest capacity of any of the town’s other churches, though hosting duties rotate among the other congregations. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.

“Please come join us as we worship together as a community of believers before enjoying a great meal and fellowship time,” McVay said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Annual Laurel Hill Harvest Supper is Nov. 14

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Public Library honors service members this weekend with a special veterans display. "America's White Table,” a well read book by Margot Theis Raven, inspired the spread.

The white tablecloth symbolizes a soldier's pure heart he or she decides to go off to war. The empty chair symbolizes the soldier’s absence from home. The plate is empty except for one lemon wedge, which represents a soldier's bitter fate. A white candle shines on a nearby rose, which symbolizes hope that missing soldiers will someday return home. A shaker of salt represents the tears shed for missing service members.

"We don't think about what we have; we often take things in the country for granted," said Assistant Librarian Marie Garcia, who has several family members who served in the military. Her father, Michael, is a retired Air Force member who lives in Crestview.  

The display is scheduled to remain open at the library until Veterans Day. The library will be closed in observance of the holiday.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Library displays 'white table' memorial for Veterans Day

Agriculture is the production, processing and marketing of foods and fibers.

Products we use in our everyday lives — like food, surgical sutures, lumber, tires, adhesives, shampoo, leather shoes and soft cotton clothes — come from plant and animal products and byproducts that America's farmers and ranchers produce.

National Farm-City Week celebrates those who produce these products, consume the products, and make them readily available through an efficient production and marketing chain.

Farm workers, researchers, processors, shippers, truck drivers, inspectors, wholesalers, agribusinesses, marketers, advertisers, retailers and consumers play important roles in the productivity that has made our nation’s food and fiber system the envy of the world.

Every year, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s remember the vital farm-city partnerships that have done so much to improve the quality of our lives.

Rural and urban communities working together have made the most of our rich agricultural resources. They have made significant contributions to our health and well-being and to the strength of our nation’s economy.

For this, we can give thanks.

Food drive

This year, to celebrate National Farm-City Week, University of Florida IFAS Okaloosa County Extension has teamed up with Okaloosa County Farm Bureau to collect and distribute fresh vegetables and foods to needy families identified by a local church.

We will collect money, peanut butter and fresh local vegetables until Nov. 15. We will load all donations onto trailers and pull them down Main Street as we make our way to the church parking lot on Nov. 16.

Please help us celebrate National Farm-City Week with your donations.

Send donations to the University of Florida IFAS Okaloosa County Extension office or the Okaloosa County Farm Bureau office.

Call 689-5850 or email heady@ufl.edu for more details.

Jennifer Bearden is an agent at the Okaloosa County Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EXTENSION CONNECTION: National Farm-City Week Nov. 16-22

CRESTVIEW — The north county honors its many veterans with the Veterans Day Parade, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday morning on Main Street. After last year’s parade was almost cancelled when only five marching units had registered with less than a month to go, organizers from the city and the Disabled American Veterans, which took over the event from the Veterans Affairs Committee, promised this year’s parade will be better organized.

“We have 32 groups that have sent in entry forms, but I’m sure we’ll also have some who didn’t turn in forms and will show up at the parade anyway,” DAV adjutant treasurer Debborah“Pinky” Jimison said. “But we won’t turn them away.”

As an Air Force veteran herself, Jimison said, “Veterans Day, Memorial Day, all those days are very special to me and like to be able to give back to the community.”

On Sunday, the actual date of Veterans Day, the DAV will hold a “Wall Ceremony,” honoring the area’s veterans, at the Okaloosa County Veterans Memorial, located in the plaza on the corner of Main Street and Courthouse Terrace.

“It will be at 11 a.m.,” Jimison said. “It’s always 11/11 at 11.”

See the complete story in Saturday's News Bulletin.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Veterans Day Parade rolls Saturday morning

CRESTVIEW — Covenant Hospice observes November, National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, with this message: it’s never too early to create an advance directive. Advance directives are legal documents (living wills, durable power of attorneys, or health care proxy documents) that state your decisions for end-of-life care.

“It is important for everyone to have an advance directive regardless of present health status,” Covenant Hospice President Dale O. Knee said.

See www.covenanthospice.org/begintheconversation for information about obtaining and filling out an advance directive.

Hospice care provides expert pain management, symptom control, psychosocial support and spiritual care to patients and families when a cure is impossible. Medicines and equipment that keep a patient comfortable can be brought to the home. Palliative care brings these skilled services earlier in an illness and can be provided with other treatments.

More than 1.5 million people with a life-limiting illness annually get help from the nation’s hospice and palliative care providers.

“It’s about quality of life. With the help of hospice and palliative care, patients and families can focus on what’s most important, living as fully as possible in spite of illness,” Knee said.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Advance directives take focus during Hospice and Palliative Care Month

CRESTVIEW — Concord Lodge No. 50 members honored first responders and educators for their service to the Crestview community at their Family Night Oct. 29.

Each individual was nominated by his or her supervisor for exemplary performance.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Concord lodge announces Oct. 29 community service honorees