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Honoring those who gave so much to country
The weather was excellent, the breeze kept flags waving, the veterans visited, the schoolkids sang patriotic songs, and the main speech was stirring. This was Alpine on Veterans Day. This was — is — small-town America wearing its heart on its sleeve, and not embarrassed or afraid to show it. An enthusiastic crowd gathered at Kokernot Park to salute the men and women who have served and are serving to keep these United States of America free. Men, women and children of all ages sat in the stands, proud to honor their hometown heroes. Keynote speaker Ray Hendryx — Navy veteran, owner of KVLF/KALP radio stations and former longtime school board member — drew applause when he said, “We need to embrace and further the cause that we are Americans, first and foremost. Like those who’ve come from all walks of life and have been molded to serve in our country’s armed forces, we need to remember that we’re Americans before we’re Democrats or Republicans. We’re Americans before we’re Anglos or Latinos. “If we put Americanism at the forefront,” he continued, “then America will be at the forefront. If we put Americanism at the forefront, I really believe that Austin and Washington will smell the coffee. And the sooner the better.” Hendryx recalled two good friends and mentors, recently deceased and whom Hendryx said he still misses, World War II veteran Dan Garcia and Vietnam War veteran Jake Brisbin Jr. Hendryx spoke fondly of Garcia, whom he said “taught me the value of work and an appreciation for some of the simpler things in life.” Of Brisbin, Hendryx said, “I never knew anyone so skillful at ironing out differences between opposing factions, whether it was cooling hot tempers in a bar or bringing opposing interests together to settle water rights issues.” Addressing the schoolchildren gathered at the salute, Hendryx emphasized the value of writing letters and voicing their opinions. He then said: “Take a few minutes and write your congressman. Write your new president. Tell your congressman and your president you care about veterans, and that our veterans deserve only the absolute best care we can give them. “While we’re bailing out Wall Street and General Motors,” Hendryx continued, “let’s not forget the hundreds of thousands of American service men and women and their families whose lives are directly and permanently affected by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “They, too, need a helping hand. And they need it without the mess of red tape that often tends to bungle our best intentions.” At this annual “Salute to Veterans” sponsored by Alpine Independent School District, students of all ages played roles in the program after a greeting by Supt. Jose Cervantes, starting with a stirring solo of the National Anthem by Alpine High sophomore Brooke Stair and followed by a poignant “History of Veterans Day” by Alpine Middle School Junior Historians. Boy Scout troops performed the color guard duties, while AHS Student Council members led the Pledge of Allegiance, elementary students presented service flags and the combined AHS-AMS band played “America the Beautiful.” Tony Morales closed the ceremony with the solemn trumpet solo of “Taps.” Honoring those who gave so much to country The weather was excellent, the breeze kept flags waving, the veterans visited, the schoolkids sang patriotic songs, and the main speech was stirring. Granada opens just in time for ArtWalk; old movie house fills niche From the time she moved to Alpine 12 years ago, Karen Travland has had her eye on the old, long-vacant Granada movie house. ArtWalk silent auction to be at Granada Avalanche staff Emergency training vital to Brewster County The county judge and emergency management coordinator didn’t take a train trip, but both say they learned a lot about trains, their cargo and the hazards that ride the rails through Brewster County and Alpine. |
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