Sentinel Morning Update: Residents honor veterans in area ceremonies
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Veterans Day in Cumberland County was emotional for many who came out for memorial events, but it was especially so for those the day honors.
For them, memorial gatherings in the area are nothing new. Still, they gather each year to remember the service of thousands of others, past and present, whom they credit with preserving American freedoms.
Services around the area had their subtle differences, but the themes of patriotism and sacrifice remained the same.
At the Old Courthouse, the Joint Veterans Council of Carlisle hosted Maj. Gen. Robert M. Williams, commandant of the U.S. Army War College.
Williams spoke of all the sacrifices veterans have made since the first soldiers went to battle in 1775. The commandant personalized his speech, recalling his own father, a decorated veteran of three wars who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Williams made special mention of Section 60, called “the saddest acre in America” in an HBO documentary. Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery is a burial ground for U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On the heels of the historic election of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Williams urged all in attendance to recognize their duties as Americans and vote. He received a standing ovation from the courthouse audience.
“He hit a lot of good points,” said Jim Washington of the Joint Veterans Council. “It was a nice speech.”
At Mechanicsburg Cemetery, representatives from local veterans’ organizations placed white carnations in vases at the foot of the Grand Army of the Republic monument.
Borough representatives were also present for the ceremony, including Mayor Jack Ritter, Council Vice President Charlie Ryder and members John McDermott and J. Matthew Seagrist, and speaker Army Spc. 4th class John B. Getz Jr., former commander of the state Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He recounted his recent visit to Iraq and Kuwait for the audience of about 40, describing his meetings with Pennsylvania National Guard members before the group of mostly veterans.
Along with the rest of this story from Sentinel reporter Kelly Wilson, here's what else to look for in today’s print and on-line editions:
Organization offers alternative gift solution
A West Shore women’s giving circle is once again offering mid-state shoppers an alternative to traditional gift giving this holiday season.
For the second year in a row, the “Gifts that Give” Fair, sponsored by The Ladies’ Half, will be there for people who not only want to honor the special people on their gift list but help others who are not on anyone’s list and may need help.
Instead of buying another tie for dad, tell him you spent the $25 to feed five homeless or hungry people through the Helping Hands Ministries of Harrisburg, The Ladies’ Half suggests.
Rather than paying $30 on fragrances for mom, you could give her a card informing her that the money was spent to pay for a cancer patient’s prescription for a month through the Vickie’s Angel Walk.
“Due to the success of the fair last year, we realized this is a very giving community,” said Jeannie Kruidenier, program coordinator for the giving circle. “With the recent economic downturn, we are aware more than ever how badly these organizations need help.”
Last November’s inaugural gift fair raised about $20,000 for local organizations and benefited about 600 area people.
“As much as we would like to be as successful as last year or surpass it, we are realistic,” Kruidenier added. “In the current economy, even if we help 300 people, we have made a difference.”
Gifts start at $10 — which can supply a homeless baby with diapers for a week, cover a day of before- or after-school care or buy a smoke alarm for an elderly or disabled resident — and go as high as $250, which will cover a week of “Leader in Training” for a Girl Scout.
Other gifts include a night of emergency shelter for $45, $70 for a pair of pointe shoes for a youth ballet dancer and $100 on a day of substance abuse treatment.
Last year, 14 non-profit agencies were on hand at the Hampden Township Recreation Building. This year, 22 organizations will participate in the fair, which will be at the Central Pennsylvania College Conference Center in Summerdale.
Resident pulls Deer Lodge plan in Mt. Holly
Last year, Terry Rickert and his wife, Kathleen, purchased The Deer Lodge restaurant on Route 34. Since then, the couple purchased several other surrounding properties, bringing their total to just over 42 acres.
They wanted to build a destination. One which would include an 18,000-square-foot Old Anglers Lodge restaurant and bakery, designed to serve not only as an upscale restaurant, but also as a conference center.
Rickert detailed his vision to the zoning hearing board Tuesday because the property is in a residential zoning district and he needed several variances and special exceptions from the board in order to make the restaurant/lodge work.
The board approved parts of the plan, but denied other parts. Rickert said he’s giving up on his dream.
CRMC gives out smoke detectors at safety event
For some nurses, looking after children doesn’t stop when they walk out the door.
That’s why Hamilton Elementary School nurse Trish Niemitz and Carlisle Regional Medical Center nurse Kim Wallick got involved with the school’s health fair and their newest project giving smoke detectors to kids.
The devices are likely to be handed out to children this week.
“(Wallick) came to a health fair that I organized at the school and in talking to the kids she kind of found out that a lot of the kids didn’t have smoke detectors” in their homes, Niemitz said.
From then on, she said, Wallick worked for the donations needed to purchase enough smoke alarms for all the families.
“The biggest challenge is you hate to make a false promise,” Wallick said. She needed to guarantee the devices to find out how many she would need, but she didn’t want to come up short.
But the donations came through from Lowes Home Improvement store, the Carlisle Fire Department, the Mt. Holly Fire Company and ABC27, she said.
Elementary school children are particularly at risk of being hurt in a fire because they are less likely to understand the situation and know to get out of the house, Wallick said.
“When you think about it, to give out 100 smoke detectors to save even one child is worth it,” she added.
The health fair was the springboard for the project because it made her realize how many children live in homes without detectors, or with too few of them.
“I don’t think anybody ever asked the kids if they need a smoke detector,” she said.
Morning Update
The Sentinel Morning Update runs every weekday by 8 a.m. to take a look at what we have planned for our newspaper and Web site. Feel free to offer any suggestions, questions or feedback to jpratt@cumberlink.com
