KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The Kansas City Kansas Community College Campus Child Care Center hosted a celebration Oct. 23 to recognize the men and women who have and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces.
Attending the event were community members such as Joe Jennings, Joseph Borror, Daniel Graham, James Madison (the oldest living Buffalo Soldier living in the Leavenworth, Kan. area) John Drew Sr. and Vohn Drew.
Other attendees included Brian Bode, Chief Operations Officer at KCKCC; Cherilee Walker, Dean of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences; Criminal Justice Professor Don Alsdurf; Online Support Services technician Ruben Nogura; Reference Librarian Joseph Grasela and Electrical Technology Professor George Crump, among others.
The program started with a slide show of the friends, family members, college community faculty and staff who have served in one of the branches of the U.S. military. There were also pictures of the recent dedication of the Colin Powell bust. Music was provided by Professor Spencer Huston, of the KCKCC music department.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the children who attend the Campus Child Care Center, showed their patriotism in a series of marches and cheers. The School Age program demonstrated a series of mock drills, which honored all branches of military and two students - Angelica Linares-Smith and Camora Heggie, read letters they had written to the troops.
“This is a great occasion to honor our veterans and our current students that are serving our country,” said Doris Holleman, director of the KCKCC Campus Child Care Center. “This is what this is about - honor, recognition and praise to those men and women.”
Commander Carlton Philpot, retired U.S. Navy, was one of the guest speakers during the event and spoke about the importance of teaching children patriotism and protecting their future.
He was referred to the Campus Child Care Center as a potential speaker by Reference Librarian Joseph Grasela, who also provided a display of memorabilia. John Drew Sr., the first black U.S. Marshall in Kansas, was the second guest speaker and thanked the Child Care Center as well as the community for remembering the men and women who served the country.
“Some serve to protect the freedoms that they enjoy. Others serve in hopes of achieving those freedoms and enjoying those privileges and rights,” Philpot said. “I am so happy today that everywhere we are thanking our service men for what, their service.”
Bode, a veteran of the U.S. Army, read the names of KCKCC alumni (referred to as “The Gold Star Boys”) who had died in World War II and Korea.
The program ended with the folding of the U.S. flag, led by Jayden Brooks and Cierra Agee, of the School Age program.
“The event was divinely inspired,” Holleman said. “I was walking around my house, and the idea came to me to do something nice for the military.”
