NUMBERS ARE DWINDLING VETERAN'S PRIDE: HELPING LITTLE KIDS BE WHAT THEY WANT TO BE.Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
The little girl's question brought a smile to the old vet's face. She wanted to know, what did he feel most about being a veteran? Jim Champion looked out into this sea of young faces hanging on his every word at St. Jane Frances Catholic School on Wednesday morning, and quietly - humbly - put an exclamation mark (character) exclamation mark - The character "!" with ASCII code 33. Common names: bang; pling; excl (/eks'kl/); shriek; ITU-T: exclamation mark, exclamation point (US). Rare: factorial; exclam; smash; cuss; boing; yell; wow; hey; wham; eureka; soldier; INTERCAL: spark-spot. on Veterans Day for us. ``I feel the same pride all veterans feel,'' the 73-year-old Korean War Korean War, conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet (North Korean) and U.S. (South Korean) zones of occupation. veteran said to the kids. ``You young people can grow up to be someone you want to be, not what someone else wants you to be. I take great pride in helping give you that.'' On those words, 280 children and teachers in this North Hollywood school rose and gave Champion a standing ovation for putting a face on Veterans Day for them. The face of freedom. The face we salute today. You'll find it tonight in every Veterans of Foreign Wars post and American Legion American Legion, national association of male and female war veterans, founded (1919) in Paris. Membership is open to veterans of World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. hall in this country where men, like Champion, and their families gather to honor and remember the men and women who didn't make it home from war. You'll find it on the faces of the seriously ill A patient is seriously ill when his or her illness is of such severity that there is cause for immediate concern but there is no imminent danger to life. See also very seriously ill. vets in the convalescent con·va·les·cent adj. Relating to convalescence. n. A person who is recovering from an illness, an injury, or a surgical operation. convalescent 1. pertaining to or characterized by convalescence. 2. ward in Building 99 at the Sepulveda VA in North Hills, where Champion's wife, Sharon, and other members of the women's auxiliary of VFW See Video for Windows. Post 10040 in Sun Valley visit regularly - bringing food, snacks, books, and games to help these ailing vets pass the long hours. Today, they'll be bringing them one more thing - a boxful of handwritten hand·write tr.v. hand·wrote , hand·writ·ten , hand·writ·ing, hand·writes To write by hand. [Back-formation from handwritten.] Adj. 1. get-well cards that Jim Champion brought home with him Wednesday from a little North Hollywood school where 280 students got a special lesson in what Veterans Day really means. It didn't come cheap, this freedom. It came at an incredibly high price. So, on every dinner tray in Building 99 this Veterans Day, there'll be a get well card from a child thanking a veteran for helping pay that price. ``We made two cards each,'' said Justine Agagon, 13. ``One for the veterans in the hospital, and one for the troops going overseas. ``We just wanted to tell them thank you for all they've done.'' For making sure kids in this country can grow up to be someone they want to be - not what someone else wants them to be. The members of the women's auxiliary start arriving at the Sun Valley VFW post on Lankershim Boulevard at 5 p.m. Wednesday to spend a few hours setting up tables and doing some of the pre-cooking for the big Veterans Day turkey dinner tonight. It's one of the most popular events of the year in many American Legion and VFW posts. A night to celebrate Veterans Day, and forget that clock ticking on the wall. The post's auxiliary is down to 88 members - wives, daughters, and a few granddaughters. Very few. ``Last year we lost 10 members, a lot in one year,'' Sharon Champion says, setting up a few tables with her granddaughter, Ashley Decker. The 16-year-old joined the women's auxiliary this year, one of only a few young members. ``I joined because of my grandparents grandparents npl → abuelos mpl grandparents grand npl → grands-parents mpl grandparents grand npl , but I also enjoy doing this,'' Ashley says. ``I've tried to recruit some of my friends, but so far they're not interested. ``I'm going to try again, though, because I think young people owe it to our veterans to volunteer and get involved.'' It's a tough sell, and not just for auxiliary members, Jim Champion knows. The veterans membership - mostly World War II and Korean War vets getting on in age - is down 41 members from last year to 272 men. Death and serious illness is taking its toll on the membership. ``Sometimes I worry about my post, even though we're one of the stronger ones,'' he says. ``Every month we go downhill a little in membership. ``I don't think it's because the younger veterans don't care
"Don't Care" is a 1994 (see 1994 in music) single by American death metal band Obituary. about joining. It's just that they're working hard, trying to raise a family and start careers. ``Someday, when they're older and have more time, they'll join.'' Let's hope so because the American Legion, VFW, Jewish War Jewish War can relate to:
They're the face of freedom. The face we salute today. Dennis McCarthy, (818) 713-3749 dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) James Champion James Champion VC MSM (1834- May 4, 1904) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. is surrounded by kids from St. Jane Frances Catholic School in North Hollywood. John McCoy/Staff Photographer (2) VFW volunteers, from left, Sharon Champion, Ashley Decker, Irene Gazo and Treva Decker get things ready for a turkey dinner for veterans. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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