PLAS students ‘thank a veteran’

Published 3:00 am Friday, November 10, 2017

By Jaine Treadwell

The Pike Liberal Arts School sixth graders lived up to their billing as patriots on Thursday as they honored all American veterans for their service at the school’s annual Veterans Breakfast and Appreciation Program.

The students thanked the veterans for their service on the home front and on foreign fields. The message throughout the program was if you cherish your freedoms “thank a veteran.”

Veterans from each branch of service were honored as their service song was played by the Pike Liberal Arts band.

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For Wyman Roten, who is retired from the U.S. Army, the program was meaningful and reminiscent of the patriotism Americans displayed during World War II.

“I appreciate all these young people and the honor they show to veterans,” he said. “I hope that there are no wars for them to have to fight.”
Former Marine Sgt. Donnie Daniels said when soldiers returned from Vietnam, no bands played and no crowds gathered to welcome them home.

“The sacrifices that were made during Vietnam were the same as in other wars,” he said. “No wars are popular but the World Wars and Korea were believed necessary wars. The American public did not think we needed to be in Vietnam and took it out on the men and women that were called to duty.”

Neal Thrasher, VFW Post 7055 in Brundidge, agreed that Vietnam veterans did not get the respect due them.

“Vietnam got bad publicity but people are beginning to understand that whether they agreed with the issues or not, it is important that these men and women are recognized for their commitment to their country and they fellowmen.”

Becky Baggett, PLAS headmaster, said patriotism is at the forefront of all that PLAS stands for.

“We want all of our students to understand that the freedoms we have were not given to us,” she said. “These freedoms do not come to us free. People have suffered and died defending our freedoms and we must never forget to honor them for their sacrifices.”

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