Pelham - Windham News 6 - May 13, 2011


Girl Scouts Earn Patriotism Badge, Veterans Share Knowledge and Experience


submitted by John H. Hargreaves Memorial VFW Post 10722 Ladies Auxiliary The John H. Hargreaves Memorial VFW Post 10722 opened its doors to enthusiastic Girl Scouts to help them earn their Patriotism badges on Saturday, April 30. Girls from second through seventh grade attended the event to earn their level-specific Girl Scout badges. Requirements include learning patriotic songs, how to fold a flag, how to properly honor the flag during ceremonies, visiting local veterans memorials, writing letters to the troops, and listening to veterans and town officials speak about what patriotism means to them. The morning started with the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. The girls spoke about other patriotic symbols in the U.S., such as the Bald Eagle and the Liberty Bell and learned the history of The Star-Spangled Banner. Next, they took turns properly folding a flag, and then went around the flagpole to learn about the proper way to raise the flag and what “half-staff” means. Spike Hayes opened up the Pelham Historical Society building and the girls heard stories about local veterans, going all the way back to the Civil War. They visited the memorial in the town center triangle, and then gathered around the newest memorial in the foyer of the VFW Post. This memorial was a Girl Scout Gold Award project, which honors Pelham’s fallen up to our most recent hero, Daniel Gionet. The girls learned the proper way to retire a flag and how to say the Pledge of Allegiance in sign language, and then drew pictures and wrote letters to the troops. How an


American flag is made was discussed, as well as the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. The day was complete when one of Post 10722’s World War II veterans, Fran Walsh, told tales of his time overseas in Japan, and Ed Gleason, Town Selectman, encouraged the girls to get involved in their community and participate in government, especially by voting when they are of age. “The entire day was fabulous from start


to finish,” said Commander Mark McCabe. “We wanted to be able to connect with the Girl Scouts. Their participation in this event earned them badges and was a perfect way for us veterans to share our knowledge, experiences, and bring generations together.” Several Girl Scout leaders were present throughout the day and were very impressed with the program the VFW put on. “We’re hoping word will spread and that we can do this on an annual basis so that the new girls coming up through the levels have an opportunity to take part,” said the coordinator of the day, Rita McCabe, President of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. “We wish to say


thank you to the Girl Scouts, leaders Joanne Riopel and Danielle Paquette, Spike Hayes, Ed Gleason, and our Veterans Fran Walsh, Ken Stubert, and Mark McCabe who made the day possible.”


continued from front page- VFW Awards


Teacher of the Year – Pelham Elementary School: Pat Zube is a veteran teacher with 29 years of teaching, including seven years in Dracut, MA, and 13 years in Hudson. Pelham has been pleased to have her for the last five years. She was honored on January 22 at the Radisson Hotel in Nashua among other New Hampshire winners. Teacher of the Year – Pelham Memorial School:


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a teacher at Pelham Memorial School since 2003. Each year, she has her students participate in the Patriot’s Pen essay contest. Patriotism is also taught in the classroom through her Great Depression unit. The students write research papers on the events during the Great Depression. Lamontagne exposed the students to reading novels such as Anne Frank, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and No Promises in the Wind to help the children find ways to discuss patriotism.


Teacher of the Year – Pelham High School: Dr. Linda Fox has worked at


Pelham High School for over 36 years. Since 1975, she has been making sure that the Voice of Democracy program at the high school remains strong. Each year, she encourages students to participate and Pelham always has a great showing at the district level and has won at the state level several times. The Pelham VFW commends Dr. Fox for her dedication not only to the VFW program, but also to education in the town of Pelham. Girl Scout “Gold” Award: Abigail Blais is a senior at


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Pelham High. To earn her Gold Award, Abby’s vision was to establish a perpetual Pelham Veteran’s Memorial Wall honoring those fallen heroes. She approached the VFW Post members and presented her vision, and it was immediately embraced. She spent the summer of 2010 scraping and painting the exterior entryway of the VFW Post. She then went inside the foyer, where she transformed the half-wall and window opening. Two features of the Memorial Wall are the etched, black marble plaques mounted above the POW/MIA White Table, listing all those Pelham residents whose lives were lost while on active duty dating back to the French and Indian War. These plaques are surrounded by emblems of each military service mounted on hand-painted black mounts. These are all set within a patriotic-draped alcove with


Tomas Lynch and Abby Blais


controlled lighting that remains illuminated throughout the night with a single candle on the White Table. This Pelham Veteran’s Memorial Wall was dedicated at sunset last November on Veterans Day. Eagle Scout Awards: “Eagle” is the highest rank


a Boy Scout can achieve. In 2010, the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts, three awardees were given this honor:


Harrison DiBona mapped out


the Pelham Disc Golf Course at Muldoon Park. He also created a weatherproof kiosk to display information about the course. Jack Nicholson installed a post and rail fence along the top of an elevated wall that dropped off onto pavement below, thereby minimizing the risk of younger Scouts who use this area from falling off. He also made a difference correcting some erosion issues by filling in holes and adding rain gutters to


Steve Fischer, National Executive Committee NH


the back of the Scout lodge. Tom Lynch joined the Boy Scouts at age 12 with the goal of becoming an Eagle Scout. For his project, he built a split rail fence up at the new soccer fields for the Parks and Recreation Department, as well as to widen a walking trail for patrons to have easier access to parking areas at Raymond Park. An Eagle Court of Honor will be held in the spring, where Tom will be presented his Eagle Merit Badge. Since the age of 11, Tom has always known that he wanted to attend the U.S. Naval in Annapolis, MD, and eventually become a Police Officer. Patriots Pen Winner: Colin Garrett attends Pelham Memorial School and is Pelham’s Patriot’s Pen Winner for 2010. Colin wrote in his essay how the country was brought closer together because of 9/11 and his personal desire to become an Army Ranger. Catherine O’Hearn attends


Pelham High School. She is the Voice of Democracy winner for 2010. Katie speaks in her essay about her attendance at the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine and how by being there she realizes just how important her generation is going to be in the future of America. Pelham Good Neighbor Fund: This fund just completed


41 years of helping Pelham Neighbors in Need. It consists of volunteers who are dedicated and committed to this worthy cause. One hundred percent of the donations received go back into the community. This organization also provides an annual scholarship for a high school senior to attend college and financially support a men’s and women’s shelter. Their slogan is People Helping People. Pelham Cemetery Trustees: In 2009, the Veterans Circle at Gibson Cemetery was completely redone. Removing the old flagpole as well as clearing the old overgrown shrubs was just some of the work done. Concrete pavers have been installed and finished, while lighting was added to the flagpole and granite benches recognizing all the services were added as well. A special thanks to Dave Ouelette, current Department of NH State Commander and Pelham resident, for pushing the Loyalty Day concept to the community level to recognize fellow citizens. This event is being planned as an annual cause, and with all this good work, there is no doubt that it will continue.


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