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Lee County students to honor war vets

By Staff | Nov 8, 2017

In honor of Veterans Day, some local schools will hold events to honor the men and women who have bravely served our country.

One of the participating schools, G. Weaver Hipps Elementary School, will host a Veterans Day Program to honor veterans and armed forces personnel on Nov. 10 at 8 a.m. at 1200 Homestead Road N.

According to Chris Grau, teacher leader at G. Weaver Hipps, students were given invitations to hand out to family and friends who have served in the military.

“Veteran members of the student’s family are welcomed to join in for the festivities. We will have a guest speaker who will share their experiences in service. They will play a ceremonial taps at the end of the talk,” Grau said.

Local veterans are invited to attend the ceremony in honor of their contributions to the country.

“We will also be displaying photos of veterans throughout the day and finish with a performance by Varsity Lakes Middle School (and) Ida Baker color guard, who will present the colors and sing a patriotic song,” Grau said.

The event will end with a reception of recognition and thanks.

The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at Riverdale High School is sponsoring a Flag Raising Ceremony to honor veterans. The ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 10 and will be held on the football field, at 2600 Buckingham Road, Fort Myers.

According to JROTC Capt. Amy Taylor, the ceremony is part of the program’s service learning project.

“They are the reason we are here. When you read something over why we have our freedoms, it’s due to veterans and their contributions. This day is a camaraderie among people who have been through similar experiences,” Taylor said.

The event is open to the public.

It will include performances by the Riverdale chorus, singing the national anthem; the Raider band; JROTC Battalion formation; the honor guard for attending veterans; and patriotic poems read by students; plus, the raising of a flag that was flown during an Iraq combat mission by a former Riverdale JROTC cadet.

The VIPs in attendance will be Adm. Jerry Johnson and Maj. Gen. James Dozier and Lt. Gen. John Hall.

“This is our ninth year doing the ceremony. The students will present each veteran with a letter and a hat pin,” Taylor said.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will be in attendance with its helicopter, as well as the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District. There will also be a static display following the ceremony.

Taylor started with the school’s JROTC program six months ago and is impressed with the dedication of the students.

“These cadets are wonderful. They grow so much throughout this process. We try get them involved in a lot of activities,” Taylor said.