By Linda Collins
Fairborn Daily Herald
ENON — In a longstanding tradition, the Greenon Local School District honored local veterans and military service members with two special Veterans Day celebrations on Friday morning, Nov. 11.
The morning festivities began at 8:30 a.m. at Enon Primary School as 150 veterans, military service members and their families gathered around the flagpole in front of the school with students and staff for a ceremonial flag raising and pledge of allegiance.
This year, Enon Primary School partnered with Honor Flight Dayton for the annual salute to America’s finest with heartfelt speeches, singing and a breakfast reception in the school’s cafeteria. Honor Flight Dayton is a nonprofit organization that flies veterans of the World War II, Korean and Vietnam Wars to Washington, D.C. for a daylong visit to the three national war memorials, at no cost to the veterans.
“Veterans Day is a significant holiday in our country and provides our schools with unique teachable moments for students,” Enon Primary School Principal Darrin Knapke said. “This is the biggest turnout we have had for our Veterans Day celebration.”
In preparation for the Veterans Day celebration, students took home a star to decorate and label with the name of a veteran they know and then brought the stars back to school to hang on a decorated poster outside the school office. This year, students participated in a “Pennies for Veterans” campaign and raised money that will go directly to the Honor Flight Dayton program.
Kindergarten students decorated patriotic placemats for an upcoming banquet for the 90 veterans who flew on an Honor Flight trip this past year. The first graders also created greeting cards to be delivered to the veterans during future Honor Flights.
“There is a point on the trip where a military mail call is reenacted,” Knapke said. “At that time, these cards will be given to the veterans who have made a huge difference in all our lives and in history.”
Diana Pry, an Honor Flight Dayton representative and U.S. Air Force veteran, spoke to those in attendance about the local Honor Flight program and noted that the program, which spans 40 states, was first established in Enon in 2005.
Following Pry’s speech, the students sung a selection of patriotic songs, and many students then met up with their parents or grandparents who were among the veterans and military members attending the annual event. The students also presented a handmade craft or picture to their invited guests and accompanied them to breakfast.
Roger Kitselman, an 81-year-old U.S. Navy veteran, said he was honored to be recognized for his military service. Kitselman, whose great-granddaughter, Brianna Page, is a first grader at Enon Primary School, served in the armed forces from 1955 to 1959 and was stationed at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida.
“It is an honor and privilege to spend this Veterans Day with my great-granddaughter and the students at Enon Primary School,” Kitselman said. “The school does a great job at keeping the students active and connected with their grandparents and great-grandparents.”
Don Madtes, a U.S. Air Force veteran, and his wife Sharon also attended the annual event and joined their granddaughter, kindergartener Ava Latino, for breakfast in the school’ cafeteria.
“I think it is wonderful that the school recognizes the veterans and military service members on Veterans Day, and I consider it an honor to be here and spend the morning with my granddaughter,” said Madtes, who served from 1970 to 1991 and was stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.
Indian Valley Intermediate School recognized Veterans Day following Enon Primary School’s presentation, opening the doors of its decorated gymnasium to more than 200 veterans, military service members and their families. The ceremony began with Taps by Air Force Veteran Lawrence Wiley, followed by the presentation of the American flag by local Boy Scouts. Indian Valley Principal Michael Tighe cordially welcomed the veterans and military members, and sixth grader Kaitlyn Kaufman explained that the holiday began as Armistice Day marking the 11th hour of the 11 day of November 1918, when the armistice ending World War I was signed.
During the ceremony, pictures of former Greenon graduates, who served in the armed forces, flashed across a big white screen, and the veterans and military service members stood proudly as the theme songs of each military branch were played. The sixth grade student choir sung a rendition of “Our America,” and the entire student body touched the hearts of those in attendance with a moving performance of “Grateful Nation.”
Sixth grader Allison Friessen presented a Veterans Day poem, and Ivan Spence, also a sixth grader, introduced keynote speaker, Vietnam Veteran and Greenon Jr./Senior High School teacher Mark Striebich. Striebich paid special tribute to the veterans and their families and share his personal military journey, which he noted provided him with the direction he needed during that time in his life. He also spoke to the students about serving their country and keeping vigilant with veterans.
“More than 21 million of us said yes. We came from all walks of life but shared courage, pride, fearlessness, and sacrifice,” Striebich said. “Our job is to serve our country, and our veterans answered the call. Many of our cemeteries are full of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and we owe them our everlasting gratitude.”
