Chanay shares personal story with students on Veterans Day
Veteran Forrest Chanay took time to connect with Killbuck Elementary third-, fourth- and fifth-graders on Veterans Day to share his story and to help them better understand the sacrifice of every veteran who chooses to serve his/her country.
For many years Forrest Chanay has committed himself to unearthing information that leads to honoring unknown and unrecognized men and women who have served their country in the Armed Forces.
A serious Civil War historian and a veteran of the Armed Forces, Chanay’s commitment to making sure every veteran is honored for his/her service is legendary in the area.
Chanay has worked hard to identify unmarked graves of unknown soldiers from wars, but mainly those who served during the Civil War.
On Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. 11, Chanay met with the third-, fourth- and fifth-grade classes at Killbuck Elementary to discuss the importance of honoring the nation’s veterans, sharing his own story of serving his country while answering questions they have of either his own experiences or the nation’s history.
“My main goal is to simply present to the children what it was like to enter the service and serve my country, like so many other people have so selflessly done over the past many years,” Chanay said. “We need them to hear these types of stories and plant the seeds of how important that is.”
He said so many children today have lost sight of the sacrifices of those who have served in the name of freedom and said sharing stories like his own go a long way in bringing questions to light.
He commended Killbuck Elementary for going above and beyond in providing an opportunity for the youth to connect with area veterans, noting not all schools and communities offer that type of gathering in their communities.
“The extent of effort and the hours of time devoted to this day is inspiring and important,” Chanay said. “I know it takes a lot of effort and time, and many of our veterans are grateful and enjoy sharing their history with the kids.”
While connecting with the kids, Chanay encouraged them to become an active participant in connecting with those in the Armed Forces who are currently away from home and serving their country.
He said sending them letters of encouragement, small notes and even drawings can be one way the students can brighten the days of those serving.
“They are far away from home and would love to hear from you,” Chanay said. “Maybe as a class project, you can write to those serving, and especially if you know someone in the service. That is so meaningful to them. There’s nothing that brightens their days more than getting something in the mail.”
He also encouraged the children to sit down with a veteran and talk to them to gain insight into why and how they served and the importance of serving their country.