FLAG FROM TROOPS MAKES KIDS' VETERANS DAY.Byline: Sue Doyle Staff Writer VALENCIA - What started as a simple letter to troops in Kuwait last year turned into a special Veterans Day celebration for Pinecrest Elementary School elementary school: see school. pupils. A flag used in their assembly Thursday was hung in honor of the private school over Camp Buehring Camp Buehring is a staging post for US troops in the north of Kuwait. Located in the Northwestern Kuwaiti desert and primarily used as a staging base for Military troops heading north into Iraq as well as the primary location for the Middle Eastern Theater Reserve. in Kuwait in May after some pupils sent the troops equipment for their tae kwon do tae kwon do Korean martial art resembling karate. It is characterized by the use of high standing and jump kicks as well as punches and is practiced for sport, self-defense, and spiritual development. In sparring, blows are stopped just short of contact. class. Fourth- and fifth-graders - sporting red, white and blue clothes in honor of the day - thumbed through the certificates of appreciation Thursday also sent from Sgt. Maj. Mark Massaglia at the base. ``That was really cool,'' said Isabella Del Mese, 11, about the flag and certificates. ``I didn't expect that.'' Isabella and others on the student council last year first contacted the troops after their club adviser, Judy James, learned of the tae kwon do club one day while online. Troops had started the club as a morale booster Noun 1. morale booster - anything that serves to increase morale; "the sight of flowers every morning was my morale builder" morale building boost, encouragement - the act of giving hope or support to someone and to stay in shape, but didn't have any protective equipment for their activities. That's when the school club, which often participates in food and toy drives, put the military at the top of its list. Through raffles and bake sales “Bake Sale” redirects here. For the episode from the TV show 8 Simple Rules, see List of 8 Simple Rules episodes. A bake sale is a fundraising activity where baked goods such as doughnuts, cupcakes and cookies, sometimes along with ethnic foods, are sold. , pupils raised about $150 and bought kick pads, chest protectors and energy bars for the troops. They mailed the package in the spring. When troops responded with letters and the flag, pupils were ecstatic, James said. ``It was nice to do something for other people, especially the military for what they're doing for our country,'' said Connor Russell, 11. The flag was saved for Veterans Day. At the school ceremony Thursday, pupils waved small American flags after singing ``America the Beautiful America the Beautiful patriotic song by Katherine Bates glorifying national ideals (1893). [Am. Music: Scholes, 30] See : Song, Patriotic .'' Nearby was an assignment by third-graders, who wrote words that describe veterans. Words such as ``valor valor a rodenticide no longer marketed because of toxicity in horses causing dehydration, abdominal pain, hindlimb weakness, inappetence, fishy smell in urine. Called also N-3-pyridyl methyl N1-p-nitrophenyl urea. ,'' ``praise'' and ``respect'' dotted the wall. Fifth-grader Sarah Dixon got into the spirit with a stars-and-stripes headband and blue shirt with red flowers. She took a patriotic-looking bandanna and wrapped it around her waist as a belt. ``This morning I was thinking of how I could dress for Veterans Day,'' she said. ``I know two veterans.'' Sue Doyle, (661) 257-5254 sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com |
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