It was a FANTASTIC program - again! I am so proud of what the kids in the Coventry Schools have done the past two years in honoring the Veterans. Was better this year as I had already met a most important individual (Bob K.) and could acutally carry on a conversation without going to tears - right, Bob????? Made it easier on both of us. It was nice just to have Kath and Bob with me in the audience!

I am even more inspired to read "We Were Soldier's Once...And Young" now that I have met George Forrest. He is an incredible person.

Next year's program is a dedication to all the Connecticut Soldiers who gave their lives in Vietnam - all 612 of them! The kids are working on biographies of each soldier and have a map of CT painted on the wall in the hallway outside the Auditorium with the name of every fallen soldier listed on it. One of the teachers at the school told me he believes it's the only one like it in the entire state. Each town has memorialized their own, but no one has listed everyone from the state in one place like these kids are doing. They also have the travelling Wall on order to be at the school so all the kids can have the opporunity to look up the names of soldiers and get a better idea of the loss we all suffered.

I remember the first time I saw the travelling Wall when I was living in Michigan. It took me several days to work up the courage to go, but I eventually did - by myself. As I was walking up to the table where the books were laid out to locate the names on the wall, a breeze came up and started turning the pages in the book I needed to go to in order to find Marty's name. The pages stopped right where I needed to be - at Martin G. Given. That stopped my heart for a few seconds.....and I knew he was there. I'll never forget that. He always did look out for me!

Long story short - I wish you all lived closer to CT so you could take part in the programs these kids put on and realize there is a generation growing up in this town who may not totally understand what Vietnam was all about but they have a respect and better understanding of who put their lives on the line for the freedom we all enjoy.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. These programs make me appreciate all of you even more.... Bless you!

Gail