Well, this has been a busy week so this three-day weekend is going to be much appreciated. The week started off Monday evening with my wife Karen and I traveling to Montgomery, Alabama. We, Eddie’s mother Tina Kelly and her husband John, along with 91 other Gold Star Families were invited to the capitol as guests of Governor Bob Riley and First Lady Patsy. The Riley’s are a fine Christian couple and their genuine love and care showed through on Tuesday during a dedication to a beautiful memorial to the 92 fallen Alabamians who have made the ultimate sacrifice on the Global War on Terror. The governor had clearly set aside a couple of hours in his busy day because Patsy and he spent time with all the families in attendance; hugging them, crying with them, taking pictures, whatever they wanted.
Governor Riley and his staff have become good friends with Eddie’s mother and stepfather Tina and John and you can tell there is a genuine affection between them. What a wonderful thought to know in this day and age of low opinion of our elected officials we have such wonderful people running the state of Alabama. Alabama is thriving and it is in no small part because of Governor Riley’s efforts.
Today we will be at the Magnolia Grill in Fort Walton Beach where Tom and Peg Rice have graciously opened up their restaurant to have a pancake breakfast where all the proceeds are going to the Emerald Coast Fisher House. Karen and I will be serving and flipping pancakes and thanking the wonderful people of the Emerald Coast for their generous donations to this great cause Eddie so loved.
On this Veterans’ Day Weekend please get out and go to your local veteran’s memorial park, to a parade, a church event, wherever a Veterans’ Day celebration is occuring and find a vet and/or his or her family and give them a hug. You’ll never know how much they will appreciate it and it is a simple and gratifying way to say thank you to our precious veterans.
God bless you all and I promise to write more this weekend!
Hi Dave- I’m really glad that Gov. Riley made such a special time for all the families. It must have been emotional but awsometime for everyone. I don’t think we’ll get up there in time for pancakes, but nexttime we go on a trip up that way, we’ll be sure to pop in and say hello!! God Bless you- and May He Bless all vets and families this Veterans day (Rememberance Day in Canada- we used to wear poppies)~ Carolyn
Dave,
It is wonderful that your Governor is that thoughtful and gracious. It is refreshing to hear this kind of news, when some are trying to celebrate “Conscientious Objector Day” instead of Veteran’s Day. How many battles have the conscientious objectors won? How have they kept our country safe and free? It just bugs me, and yet I know that some, conscientious objectors have served as corpsman and support personnel, but I don’t think honoring guys that won’t fight to protect our country is a good message to send to our youth.
God Bless you and yours,
Cliff Jones