VFW Post #892, from Salem, conducted their own personal tribute to the dead at the Ohio Vietnam Wall in Clinton, on Aug. 23. The funeral honor guards did a three volley salute and played taps.

The veterans sat in the MAPS hangar, talking with one another, comparing experiences, and reliving the days of their youths. Some were in wheel chairs, some were on oxygen, some were being helped by relatives.  They were veterans, as described by newsman Tom Brokaw, as  "The greatest generation." They were the veterans of World War II who had taken on the combined might of Germany, Japan and Italy.

“Thank You, Lord” was the theme for the second annual St. Luke – North Canton Senior Vacation Bible School.   The program replicated a “good ole fashioned Vacation Bible School” and included a Bible story presented with flannel graph, songs, a craft project and refreshments.
 

St. Luke Lutheran Community – North Canton is the recipient of a $14,000 grant from The Aultman Foundation. The grant will enable St. Luke to develop a geriatric care management program to promote independent and healthy aging by linking seniors with available community services.

It must be election season again in Springfield judging from the letter criticizing the Trustees’ decision to hire a new director for the Community Center/Senior Center. The writer hopes to create a false rumor that there is a plan to end senior programs at the Center. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here are the facts:

Remember when you used to pick up the phone and simply said, “I would like to fly to California on Aug. 1what time can I go and how much will it cost?” Or you just went to the travel agent and said book me to Las Vegas. With the age of the computer, and many other factors booking a ticket to fly anywhere can become a computer game all its own.

When I travel I usually travel with a couple of friends. My kids refer to us as the ‘Golden Girls.’ I am not sure which one of us is Dorothy, Blanche or Rose because we really do not fit the molds but we are golden and we are girls, so to speak.

Who doesn’t have a bag of snacks close by? Many of us are in a hurry to get to our destination so we hit the drive-thru where we can take turns running in to the restroom and sitting in line waiting for the food or eat at the service station.

Hey, do you qualify for thousands of dollars in grant money?

I know that they are thinking wasn’t that a rough ride for someone your age, but I simply answer no not really. I explain that we did travel through the last rapid on the river but that it was about as rough as when the water from your garden hose runs down the driveway. If you like to see fantastic scenery and wildlife, this is a trip for you.

We have all done it at some point in our travels. You know, trying to close the suitcase by sitting on it or slamming the trunk of the car to try to close it.

Worried about an elderly parent or grandparent that lives alone or that maybe doesn’t get around as well anymore?

It is good for us old dogs to learn new tricks as they say. Have you ever said, “If I knew then what I know now things would have been different?”

Have you ever watched an old movie where the soldiers come home from the war on the train? Those romantic movies were filled with emotion, love, USO dances and battles in the trenches and bunkers. Those days are reenacted in Dennison, Ohio at its unique American Soldiers Homecoming Festival held August 7-9.