Killbuck students find meaning in honoring area veterans
Killbuck Elementary rolled out the red carpet for area veterans in celebrating Veterans Day. The annual event held deep meaning for the students who helped create the breakfast and ceremony by inviting the veterans, and it also meant a great deal to the veterans.
Honoring those who have faithfully served their country is something today’s younger generation has taken to heart in Holmes County, and the student body and student council of Killbuck Elementary took charge in providing members of the Killbuck community with an opportunity to celebrate and honor area veterans.
The Veterans Day celebration took place Friday, Nov. 8 in the school gymnasium, where red, white and blue artwork decorated the walls and paid tribute to those who served.
Loren Williams, title teacher and student council advisor at Killbuck Elementary, said getting the entire student body involved with the process of inviting and greeting the veterans is important because it helps them better understand what it means to each of the veterans and the important role they play in the ongoing effort to give the veterans the honor they deserve.
“Each year all of our kids write a letter to a veteran, inviting them to this breakfast and celebration,” Williams said. “It is huge for them, and they are truly excited when their veteran shows up and they get to meet them in person and hear their stories.”
The Killbuck student council, whose members are made up of students grade 3-5, serve the annual breakfast, and as usual it was a pretty packed gymnasium. The breakfast itself was a huge success. While they expected around 95 people, close to 130 showed up for the breakfast.
“The student council kids do a lot of the work for this breakfast including setting everything up and writing the speeches,” Williams said. “I think that is one of the biggest honors for them.”
Williams went on to talk about the amount of growth that the staff sees as the students take charge and invest themselves into making this Veterans Day event something special.
“This is one of their favorite events we put on each year, and I think that investing in things like this will encourage them to want to be a part of student councils in junior high and high school,” Williams said. “This is an important event for our students from a learning standpoint and from one of respect, and we know it means a lot to our veterans.”
The breakfast included a flag-folding presentation from several members of the 555th Honors Detachment from Wooster. While they unfolded and unfurled the American flag and then perfectly folded it back up again, those in attendance heard about the symbolism behind each of the 13 folds of the flag.
The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life, and the second signifies our belief in eternal life. The third fold is made in honor and tribute of the veteran departing our ranks and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace. The fourth fold exemplifies our weaker nature as citizens trusting in God; it is to him we turn for his divine guidance.
The fifth fold is an acknowledgment to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.” The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day. The ninth fold is an honor to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded. The 10th fold is a tribute to father, for he too has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first-born.
The 11th fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The 12th fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost. The last fold, when the flag is completely folded, the stars uppermost, reminds us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”
In addition to the flag-folding ceremony, the student council also presented several readings, a poem and then presented the assembly of the Veterans POW/MIA table that honors those who served who are missing in action.
The missing man table consists of a small table set for one, symbolizing the isolation of the absent service member. A white tablecloth symbolizes the pure intentions of the service members who responded to the country’s call to arms.
A single rose in the vase symbolizes the blood service members have shed in sacrifice to ensure the freedom of the United States of America. A red ribbon represents a love of country that inspired the service members to serve the country. A slice of lemon on the bread plate represents the bitter fate of the missing.
Salt sprinkled on the bread plate symbolizes the tears shed by waiting families. An inverted glass represents the fact that the missing and fallen cannot partake. A Bible represents the spiritual strength and faith to sustain the lost. This may be omitted in official displays. A lit candle symbolizes a light of hope that lives in hearts to illuminate the missing’s way home. An empty chair represents the absence of the missing and fallen.
Veteran Brant Kanuckel, who served seven years as a United States infantryman in the U.S. Army, where he served in several different positions including rifleman and platoon sergeant, spoke about the respect and honor with which all veterans serve, and his story reiterated to the children and to all in attendance the steep price those who serve pay.
Kanuckel was twice assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, where both times he was assigned to serve in Iraq in 2003 and 2005.