On Friday, November 8th, RVMS students and staff held a Veterans Day Celebration to honor our community Veterans. Approximately 60 local Veterans attended a lunch of pulled pork, cheesy potatoes, green beans, and strawberry shortcake, all prepared by 7th grade Science teacher Audrey Baxter and the RVMS Kitchen Crew. The RVMS STUCO students (Taylor Boucher, Lexi Bayless, Tammalyn Criqui, Makenna Tyler, Molly Allen, Ella Rawlings and Gemma Geiger) and Quilts of Valor students (Ryleigh Wahquahboshkuk, Cally Stephens, Nora Kesl, Jayna Kralicek, Ella Rawlings and Autumn Force) helped to serve the Veterans their lunch and with clean-up.
Tables were set up with a red tablecloth on each, a centerpiece of white hydrangeas in a blue mason jar with 2 small flags (Blooms On Boswell), as well as Triangle Flag Ornaments that were created by Art teacher Cory Triplet and his Advanced Art class students. Centerpieces were given away in a drawing, to the Veterans. Likewise the Triangle Flag Ornaments were created as a gift for each Veteran to take home as a reminder of this day.
After lunch three Boy Scouts from Troop 173, led by Headmaster Zak King (Lincoln King, Oliver Filbert, and Kyler Pope) presented the colors and led the entire school and Veterans in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Veterans also enjoyed music performed by Mrs. Kimble and the 7th/8th grade RVMS Band, and Mrs. Childs led the 5/6th grade students and 7th/8th grade Vocals. Each song that was performed expressed the message of patriotism and honor and thanks for our Veterans, and for our freedoms.
Later in the program 7th grade History teacher Mrs. DelToro introduced the audience to the Quilts of Valor program with a short history explaining the significance of the program, and those being presented with a Quilt of Valor receiving the civilian equivalent of a Purple Heart.
Becky Andreasen, retired teacher and quilt maker, with Mrs. DelToro's assistance led students during the 4th quarter of the 2023-24 school year, and a weeks time during the summer, in creating three quilts that were presented at the Veterans Day Celebration.
Three Veterans, all women and from different branches of the military were awarded the quilts that were created. Shelly Baush (Retired National Guard), Brittany Garcia (Active Army), and Heidi Hawkinson-Penny (Retired Navy).
The story of the quilts awarded to each of the Veterans is THEIR story. Our hope is that they will keep them as tangible reminders that there are many millions of women and men across this land who are forever in their debt, and that it was our pleasure to honor each of them with these Quilts of Valor.
The Veterans Day Celebration ended with the Scout Troop retiring the Colors.
Photos by Brenda Hainey and Mrs. duBois
