Star Group Veterans Helping Veterans Members make sure to participate in area Events that pay tribute to Veterans. There are no words for the tremendous emotions a person experiences by participating in Wreath for Vets.
During the opening ceremony the speaker referenced the following powerful statement;
After World War I, Calvin Coolidge, as part of his acceptance speech for the Republican vice-presidential nomination on July 27th 1920, cautioned the country against abandoning its social contract with its warriors, 'The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.’
Laying holiday wreaths actually began in 2007 when the Wreaths Across America organization sent six wreaths to our cemetery and every other veterans cemetery in the United States to be laid in honor of each military service branch and POW/MIA. But Ms Jean Shine of Shine Realty in Killeen TX believed that there should be a wreath laid at each grave at the Central Texas State Cemetery and within three days, she had gathered 400 wreaths and volunteers to make it happen. Her tradition continues today. During the opening ceremony, Ms Shine was honored for her outstanding contribution. But as our president, Mr Haywood always says “Give them their flowers while they can see them”. Star Group Veterans Helping Veterans salutes Ms Jean Shine for this awesome tradition and her love and devotion to our Veterans.
Star Group Veterans Helping Veterans also takes this time to personally visit the resting places of our Members & Loved Ones. This year the SGVHV attendance was phenomenal with the following 19 members in attendance. Stanley Davis , Nikki Jones, Howard Hawk, Evelyn Peel, Dra Hill, James Brown, Dale Treadway, Dorothy Griffin, Adrian Atkinson, Karen Powell, Katrina Washington, Yolanda Jenkins, Diane Anderson, Morris Anderson, Denise Davis, John Cook, Sheila Timmons, Acquanetta Pullins and Stephanie Mello.
With honor and respect we visited and prayed for the following:
Deceased Veterans & SG-VHV Team Members
James “Don” Bailey
Willie Browning
William “Bill” Gordon
Jimmie Hensley (CC Cemetery)
Elijah King
David “Dave” Lehmkuhler
Martinez (Gatesville)
Deceased Veterans & Family of SG-VHV Team Members
Suzanne Belland
Mark Mello
Earnest Peel
Keith Pullins
As we enter into the Holidays remember those who served for our freedom.