Memorial Day, 2007 Print E-mail

Beacon Hill Byline

by Mary Rogeness

 Memorial Day, 2007 May 20, 2007

This year marks the nation’s 139th commemoration of Memorial Day, a day established after the Civil War to honor the casualties of that conflict. Our town has made its observance part of the Long Meddowe Days weekend celebration since the early 1980’s.

            It is my privilege to take part in the ceremony, and each year I try to link the story of the nation’s earlier wars with the today’s events. This year I was able to take a very personal story for the historical segment. I recently inherited a packet of family letters from the 1800’s, including letters from Civil War soldiers. This letter from an Indiana volunteer showed the patriotism you would expect from a Union soldier along with a touch of uncertainty at returning to civilian life. Here is an excerpt.

              Head Quarters 1st Col Brig A.C.
              Chattanooga, Tenn. May 10th 1865

Dear Brother,

  Your favor of April 27th came to hand in due time and was gladly received….

Well, we down here think the war is nearly to a close, and some of us (I for one) expect to go home soon to reap the rewards of our labors as soldiers of the union. It seems to me that a brighter future is in reserve for our nation than the records of the past have shown. Heretofore we have been called a free nation, hereafter we shall be not only, as heretofore, called a free nation, but a nation of freemen, and then when the great sin of slavery, which is always productive of evil, is done away with, and we are once more upon a peace basis, we may look for such a reformation as never before has been known, at least within our country….

Now that the armed rebellion is played out till it is hardly worth the name of rebellion, I am ready to go home and throw off the habiliments of a soldier and put on those of a civilian and follow the pursuits of a civil life, but whether I pursue the same course that I had decided upon before I entered the service, or not, will depend on circumstances which I shall fully consider when I get home.

Charles Lester

            The letter writer’s pride in making our country a nation of free men still inspires me today. Retaining or expanding freedom is the goal of every war America enters.

His thought about returning home provides a glimpse of the reality that travels through time. Just as it applied to a Civil War soldier, it concerns every returning member of today’s armed forces when their wartime service comes to a close.

Young soldiers may have put their careers on hold while they served the nation. They might have been called to active duty from mid-career civilian lives. They have surely lived experiences that we can only attempt to understand.  They have earned our gratitude.

Several of the speakers at last weekend’s observance spoke of the need to welcome each returning soldier with thanks and appreciation for their service on our behalf – and with assistance if it is needed. Let’s try to keep those reminders fresh long after the Memorial Day service that gave us the message.

   
 
Honoring Achievement Print E-mail

Beacon Hill Byline

by Mary Rogeness

Honoring Achievement May 7, 2007

Last week gave me several great opportunities to congratulate local kids for their achievements and thank the sponsors who make them possible. Taking part in those events provides an added benefit to my job of State Representative.

First came a team of students from Sci-Tech High School. Eric DuBois and Joshua Dutton, representing their team that included Phong Ly and Joshua Dufresne, were honored in Springfield last Thursday for their participation in Academic WorldQuest. After winning a competition among Springfield schools, they represented our local World Affairs Council in Washington at this year’s national competition.

The competition is sponsored each year by the Western Massachusetts World Affairs Council, and it exposes students to knowledge far beyond their daily school curriculum. Contestants put their knowledge of international affairs, geography, history and culture on the line against teams from around the nation. Congratulations to these students and their sponsors for shining a national spotlight on Springfield.

The second students to be honored were Meredith Scheiring and Poornima Manikantan, sixth graders at Williams Middle School. Charged with creating a media presentation using the theme, “It all comes back to you,” the girls put together a winning Power Point presentation that was more impressive than any such production I have seen in Boston.

            The contest was open to middle school students whose communities use the Materials Recycling Facility in Springfield, the MRF. The award ceremony, organized by Longmeadow’s Arlene Miller, invited the entire class of the winning students and gave all the kids a pizza party. And it was held at the MRF, where a stage was set up amid many bales of recycled aluminum and plastic. I don’t know about the kids, but I came away inspired by the massive amounts of former waste material that is now en route to new use in our daily lives. Congratulations to Poornima, Meredith and the MRF Advisory Board.

            The third event, to my mind, honored 650 children who were not even there. They are the area schoolchildren and women who participate with Go FIT. The event, held at Bay Path College, was the Go FIT breakfast, held annually to raise money for this growing endeavor. Here is what it is all about.

Go FIT began only two years ago, the brainchild of Longmeadow’s Susan Jaye Kaplan. It provides running shoes, equipment and mentors to underserved youngsters in rural or inner city neighborhoods, encouraging walking, running and personal goal setting. All equipment is free to the recipients, which is why the fundraising breakfast takes place.

The organization’s growth will have positive and long-lasting benefits for any child who embraces its messages of personal health and fitness. That’s why I offer my congratulations on this fantastic success to Sue, the runners and the 150 volunteers who work with them.

It was a great week for me!
 
From Boston to Taipei, Taiwan Print E-mail

by Mary Rogeness

From Boston to Taipei, Taiwan 

Last week gave me several great opportunities to congratulate local kids for their achievements and thank the sponsors who make them possible. Taking part in those events provides an added benefit to my job of State Representative.

First came a team of students from Sci-Tech High School. Eric DuBois and Joshua Dutton, representing their team that included Phong Ly and Joshua Dufresne, were honored in Springfield last Thursday for their participation in Academic WorldQuest. After winning a competition among Springfield schools, they represented our local World Affairs Council in Washington at this year’s national competition.

The competition is sponsored each year by the Western Massachusetts World Affairs Council, and it exposes students to knowledge far beyond their daily school curriculum. Contestants put their knowledge of international affairs, geography, history and culture on the line against teams from around the nation. Congratulations to these students and their sponsors for shining a national spotlight on Springfield.

The second students to be honored were Meredith Scheiring and Poornima Manikantan, sixth graders at Williams Middle School. Charged with creating a media presentation using the theme, “It all comes back to you,” the girls put together a winning Power Point presentation that was more impressive than any such production I have seen in Boston.

            The contest was open to middle school students whose communities use the Materials Recycling Facility in Springfield, the MRF. The award ceremony, organized by Longmeadow’s Arlene Miller, invited the entire class of the winning students and gave all the kids a pizza party. And it was held at the MRF, where a stage was set up amid many bales of recycled aluminum and plastic. I don’t know about the kids, but I came away inspired by the massive amounts of former waste material that is now en route to new use in our daily lives. Congratulations to Poornima, Meredith and the MRF Advisory Board.

            The third event, to my mind, honored 650 children who were not even there. They are the area schoolchildren and women who participate with Go FIT. The event, held at Bay Path College, was the Go FIT breakfast, held annually to raise money for this growing endeavor. Here is what it is all about.

Go FIT began only two years ago, the brainchild of Longmeadow’s Susan Jaye Kaplan. It provides running shoes, equipment and mentors to underserved youngsters in rural or inner city neighborhoods, encouraging walking, running and personal goal setting. All equipment is free to the recipients, which is why the fundraising breakfast takes place.

The organization’s growth will have positive and long-lasting benefits for any child who embraces its messages of personal health and fitness. That’s why I offer my congratulations on this fantastic success to Sue, the runners and the 150 volunteers who work with them.

It was a great week for me!
 
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