AVON — DORIAN MCDANIEL/FLYER PHOTO

Major Myron Stamps of the U.S. Air Force receives a flag and a salute from his son, Jalen, a Hickory Elementary School student. The flag, which was flown on 9/11, was presented to Principal Scott Collins.



Schools throughout the county celebrated Veterans’ Day earlier this week with a variety of programs, and Hickory Elementary School here was no exception. Veterans of every branch of the military were honored.

The program included songs and readings from fourth-grade students and a keynote address by U.S. Air Force Maj. Myron Stamps, who had recently returned from service in Afghanistan.

Students gave a brief history of Veterans’ Day, or Armistice Day as it was originally known. It was started in 1926 after the first World War and became a national holiday 12 years later. It became Veterans’ Day in 1947. The bill naming the holiday Veterans’ Day was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954 and it has been celebrated as Veterans’ Day since.

Each year the students and staff at Hickory Elementary put on a Veterans’ Day program. Stamps, who is the father of two children at the school, said the programs are better each year.

“I don’t know about you all, but walking down the hallway down here, it gave me chills,” he told the crowd. “You’ve outdone yourself again. Thank you. It is a great day to be an American and an even better day to be a veteran. It feels great to be part of (the military) and it has done so much for so many.”

Stamps urged everyone in attendance to support members of the military.

“Today and every day as you all do, keep them in your prayers,” he said. “They’re just ordinary people doing great things and have served a great cause.”

Stamps also thanked the service men and women who came before him.

“A great tradition has been passed down through other veterans,” he said. “You are the real reason we are still serving America. Students, you are not forgotten. You all make sacrifices as well, having moms, dads, brothers, away from home and you have to be strong for the other family members who are left at home.”

Stamps is scheduled to return to Afghanistan tomorrow to finish his tour of duty.

“We have been doing great things ... building schools, hospitals, police stations, but nothing can be done overnight,” he said. “Those of us who are free today, it is only because of the men and women sitting here today. Remember that. May God bless America, may God bless us all.”

Following his talk to the students and veterans, Stamps presented Principal Scott Collins with a flag that was flown over Iraq and Afghanistan on 9/11. Collins said the flag will be prominently displayed at the school.

A unique portion of the program here was that any veteran attending was invited to come to the microphone and introduce themselves, list any children they were representing at the school, and give information about themselves and their service.

Students presented each veteran with a handmade red poppy to thank them for their service to the country.

Casmir Zuranski, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, said he enjoyed the program.

“I thought it was great,” he said. “It was a really good program. I’ve been to others, but this one stood out because each veteran got the chance to stand up and talk about their service and their grandchildren.”

Students throughout the county stopped to remember veterans during the day.

Another student, Teri Crouch, a 17-year-old junior at Tri-West High School, was handing out certificates of appreciation at the Applebeess in Brownsburg to thank veterans for their service.

Crouch is a member of the Young Marines and plans to join the Marine Corps once she graduates from college.

“(Veterans’ Day) is a time when I really reflect,” Crouch said. “There are many people in my family who are veterans and who are still serving. It’s a time to reflect and think that if it hadn’t been for that person, I might not be here. You look at it as a whole. They did something that a lot of people are scared to do. They love their country and it’s a very unselfish act.”

Editor’s note: For additional photos of the Veterans’ Day program at Hickory Elementary School, see page A6 of today’s Hendricks County Flyer or visit the website at www.flyergroup.com.

charlee.beasor@flyergroup.com