View “The Climb” Honor Card video featuring the music of Miley Cyrus (see story below):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4jUEI3oT288[/youtube]
Compiled by Jesse Wood
Nov. 9, 2012. In honor of the 23-million U.S. veterans and the more than 1.4-million active-duty troops, Veteran’s Day takes place on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012.
On Monday, most banks won’t be open and Avery and Watauga County Schools won’t be in session, either. However, several events are happening in the High Country in the coming week to honor the veterans, including a celebration at the Boone Mall, an art exhibition at the Jones House and a job fair at the Boone National Guard Armory.
Scheduled Events
Veteran’s Day Celebration at Boone Mall on Monday, Nov. 12
- 10:30 a.m. Watauga Community Band commences with a selection of Patriotic Music
- 11 a.m. Program commences with guest speaker Mr. Robert Gray Shipley, World War II Veteran, civic leader, teacher and visionary and the Color Guard: American Legion Post 130
All veterans and the general public are invited to attend this celebration to honor those who have served our great country, and those who are currently serving. Watauga County veterans’ organizations will be on hand with displays of military information.
For more information, call George Brudzinski at 828-265-4438 or email him at george@bluehorsepromo.com.
Veterans Day Ceremony held at ASU Monday, Nov. 12
Appalachian State University student and Army veteran Eric Loew will be the speaker during a Veterans Day ceremony held on campus Nov. 12. The program begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial adjacent to the Dougherty Administration Building. A reception and continental breakfast will follow in the administration building lobby. The public is invited to attend.
Loew enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1986 and was a tank crewman with the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo. The following year, he was reassigned to Mannheim, Germany, where he served for three years as a gunner on an M1A1 tank.
In 1990, he was selected to attend the Special Forces qualification course as a Special Forces weapons sergeant. He served at a variety of posts before being assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg in 2000 as the team sergeant of a Special Forces Team. He led his team on two deployments to Afghanistan.
Loew was selected to serve as a company first sergeant in 2004. Following his promotion to sergeant major, he served as the battalion command sergeant major of the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion for two years before his retirement from the Army in January 2009. During his more than 23 years in the Army, Loew traveled extensively on six continents, and was deployed to Iraq once and Afghanistan four times.
Following his retirement from the Army, Loew worked as a civilian mentor and trainer to the Afghan National Army Commando Brigade for a year and later was employed by the Department of the Army to gather and analyze social, political, religious and cultural information in Afghanistan. He spent more than one year in Helmand and Kandahar provinces.
Loew is currently a junior at Appalachian working to complete a bachelor’s degree in history that he began in 1982.
Loew and his wife, Alison, have three grown children: Nicole, Emily and Christian.
Hiring Heroes: Career Showcase and Job Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 13
The Boone National Guard Armory hosts the Hiring Heroes Career Showcase and Job Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. Free registration is available for employers and job seekers.
The event is open to the public; however, veterans are admitted to the job fair from 9 to 10 a.m. The general public will be admitted from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
For more information, call the Watauga JobLink/ES at 828-265-5385.
Veteran Video Museum Dedication Ceremony on November 13th at the Library
Ken Wiley, local World War II Coast Guard Veteran and author has been busy for over a year interviewing local World War II Veterans and will donate numerous DVDs to the library’s collection during this ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 3 p.m.
Mayor Loretta Clawson will be the keynote speaker. The public is welcome to attend.
The library is located at 140 Queen Street in downtown Boone.
Jones House Hosts 25th Honor Card Luncheon, N.C. Artist Mangum Raises Homeless Veteran Awareness on Wednesday, Nov. 14
William Mangum, North Carolina’s Artist, will visit the High Country on November 14th to kickoff of his signature philanthropic initiative – The Honor Card. Taking place at Boone’s Jones House Cultural and Community Center from 12 to 2 p.m., Mangum will unveil this year’s painting, “The Climb” and explain the inspiration behind it.
The 2012 Holiday Honor Cards, dedicated to our homeless Veterans, are available starting November 5enr for a minimum donation of $5 per card at http://hospitalityhouseofboone.org and at Ashe, Avery, Watauga and Wilkes county business and church locations. With non-profits financially struggling to meet increased demand, The Honor Card is a marvelous way to recognize a friend or family member, while giving a meaningful gift to those who need it the most. 100 percent of the proceeds go toward providing services at the Hospitality House, a crisis agency that serves seven counties in northwestern North Carolina helping people rebuild their lives.
“The Honor Card has been a blessing in my life and has inspired some amazing paintings that share a subtle message about homelessness and the need to support those who have stumbled along life’s journey,” says artist Bill Mangum. “Today I’m thankful for agencies like Hospitality House that help our Veterans cope with the deep wounds that have scarred them and help bring them out of the depths of despair, giving them a hand up with encouragement and hope.”
Since 2001, over 2 million soldiers have valiantly served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. On their return home, many soldiers have had to face challenges that they were not ready to experience including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), countless injuries from combat, weakened family ties and unprecedented unemployment rates higher than the national average. All of this makes it hard for many Vets to transition into civilian life. A large segment of these new Veterans are facing the same challenges that many of our homeless Vietnam Veterans have dealt with for decades. Today Veterans are one of the largest segments of the homelessness community in the country.
“We are thrilled to once again work with Bill on the Honor Card as we bring attention to the plight of homeless Veterans,” says Todd Carter, Hospitality House Director of Development. “The essence of The Honor Card reminds us all that success is in the comeback and that the climb is an integral part of recovery for everyone who has fallen into the pit of despair and homelessness.”
The luncheon is free of charge and invitations are open to all who wish to attend. For more information about The Honor Card or to RSVP for the event please contact Todd Carter at 828.264.1237 or development@hospitalityhouseofboone.org