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'A way to say thank you' to veterans

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BY Courtney looney

The Wichita Eagle

Veterans Day Events

El Dorado

Today

7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Celebration of Freedom El Dorado A variety of events around El Dorado, including a parade downtown beginning at 11 a.m. followed by a free hot dog feed at McDonald Stadium.

KINGMAN

Wednesday

9:15 a.m. Ninth annual Veterans Day Program Kingman High School The program includes a guest speaker from the Kansas Army National Guard, Major Adam Krein, an Iraq War veteran; a Bob Hope U.S.O. Show; and recognition of veterans and active-duty personnel in the audience. Refreshments will be served after the program. All are welcome to attend. The program is dedicated to Sgt. 1st Class David Berry of the 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, Battery C of the Kansas Army National Guard, who was killed in Iraq in 2006.

PILSEN

Wednesday

11 a.m. Seventh annual Military Pilgrimage to Pilsen St. John Nepomucene Church Mass will be celebrated in honor of Father Emil Kapaun. Military honors and a wreath-laying ceremony will follow at the Kapaun memorial on the church grounds.

VALLEY CENTER

Today

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. LifePoint Church, 400 S. Abilene, and Veterans Park, 337 S. Meridian Reception, historical artifact display, tribute to veterans, flyover and flag ceremony. Free. For more information, call 316-755-7310. WICHITA

Today

11 a.m. Veterans Day Parade Downtown Wichita Parade on Main Street from Murdock to Douglas. Military vehicles will be on display in front of Century II after the parade.

Monday

4-10 p.m. On the Border, 2347 N. Maize Road and 1930 N. Rock Road, will donate 10 percent of sales to the USD 259 Junior ROTC Leadership program.

Tuesday

10 a.m. Salute to veterans by the public schools Junior ROTC programs Century II Expo Hall More than 2,100 cadets from eight high schools and 12 middle schools will march in formation. Free and open to the public.

5:30 to 9 p.m. Cargill Learning Center, Sedgwick County Zoo An evening of entertainment and education by Sedgwick County and the Dole VA Medical Center. Information booths, free zoo passes, refreshments, seasonal flu shots and live music. Free for veterans and their families. Reservations required. Call Brandi Clarke at 316-660-7673.

Wednesday

10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Hugo Salutes our Veterans Sam’s Club, 3415 N. Rock Road Georgia health care company AMG Medical Inc. will give away 25,000 Hugo Folding Canes nationwide to U.S. military veterans. Canes are available while supplies last.

Nov. 14

1-4 p.m. “Pleasant Valley Memories of World War II” Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church, 1600 W. 27th St. North A documentary featuring interviews with five local World War II veterans and their spouses. Free.

Nov. 14-15

1-10 p.m. Nov. 14 1-6 p.m. Nov. 15 Veterans Day Powwow Mid-America All-Indian Center, 650 N. Seneca Hosted by the Wichita Kansas Intertribal Warrior Society. Saturday’s schedule includes gourd dancing, 1-5 p.m.; dinner 5-6 p.m.; grand entry 6:30 p.m.; intertribal dancing 7-10 p.m. Sunday’s schedule includes gourd dancing all day. Free. For more information, call 316-708-6254.

Goddard sixth graders make flags for troops

Click here to see the video in full screen or to e-mail to a friend.

Joel Condray said he is always looking for ways to teach his students "outside of the textbook." Six years ago, he came up with the idea of devoting part of their school time to helping soldiers overseas. His students participate in the AdoptaPlatoon program, sending care packages to a group of soldiers assigned to them.

"I use the project to reinforce kindness and patriotism,'' said Condray, who teaches sixth grade at Challenger Intermediate School in Goddard.

AdoptaPlatoon (www.adoptaplatoon.org) is a nationwide nonprofit organization that makes sure soldiers feel loved while overseas.

Condray said he began the project six years ago while he was a teacher in Great Bend. He is working on his second year of the project with his students in Goddard.

"A lot of the kids have veterans or soldiers in the family, or they know someone who is in the military," Condray said. "(It) feels like the perfect place to do this."

About 50 students will take part in this year's project.

"We try to match the number of soldiers with the number of kids I have," Condray said. "It's almost like a one-time pen pal the kids are writing to."

This year, for the first time since Condray began the project, the care packages will be sent to Iraq to a platoon from Kansas.

"We will start gathering things up between now and Thanksgiving, and send it off so the soldiers get it by Christmas," he said.

Condray said the items they gather include nonperishable foods, toiletries, cards and flags the students color.

"We want to give them things that can put a smile on their face, whether it be a football, playing cards or food," Condray said.

The project becomes a family effort in some ways, Condray said.

"The parents are very supportive and help out a lot with the shipping costs," he said.

Condray said he sees a huge response from the students and sees their patriotism grow.

"This project is important to me because the soldiers are risking their lives to save ours and our gifts are a good way to say thank you," said sixth-grader Ashton Hinkley.

Those interested in donating items for the AdoptaPlatoon program at Challenger can e-mail Condray at jcondray@goddardusd.com.

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