Viet Nam Memorial Appreciation

Hey I’m back and this time not so aggravated! I have some backup this time as to how important this Wall that my wife Dee and I came up with, and the reason we are so passionate in the moving of the wall and the children in the educational systems throughout the country, as well as all the vets that are hampered by physical or financial problems. I’m going to enclose a letter from the Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Florida. I have all kinds of pictures of the children from the very lowest grade to the highest and the reactions to the display written all over their faces. The little ones couldn’t ask enough questions, and intelligent ones at that. The Veterans that visited were amazing, from WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, Afghanistan and Iraq. It touched them all just knowing that someone truly cares. Unfortunately no matter how much my wife and I care, without support it will be another thing lost by Veterans and in this case the school children.

Tomorrow the SUPER BOWL is being played in Arizona and God only knows how many millions of dollars are being spent on this game. How many dollars are being contributed to the organization, put into parties, put into contests just to attend! This is a one day sporting event. Of course it takes some preseason practice and games. Sixteen weeks of hard hitting action and many injuries. All of these so two teams could face off to see who the best is for that year!! Very entertaining, and what a money maker. We had some injuries, some of them ending a life’s work to get where he was. Unfortunately this year we lost a young man permanently but, that was in his home from an intruder. Very, very sad. So young with a brilliant career ahead of him to be snuffed out like that. Next season a few might remember the injuries and the loss of this young fellow but in time no one will remember unless reminded.

The Viet Nam war lasted quite a few seasons, it was very “Hard Hitting” and not in the least entertaining, unless you were home, in Canada or some other foreign country (Clinton, Bush) to watch it on TV. If that’s what you call entertaining. We didn’t and don’t get paid quite so well for our injuries and unlike the football injuries ours have lasted FORTY YEARS, we’ll never forget them. They lost one player in football this year and a couple last year. I don’t know because I don’t follow as much as I would like to. I have a more important agenda. I would like to note though that based from 1964 thru 1975 we lost approximately 58,489 men that we know of or are told we lost. Based on that it averaged 5,317 a year, 443 a month and 15 a day ! We didn’t have a SUPER BOWL when we came home, we were to busy still dodging. Only this time it wasn’t bullets it was stones, sticks, bricks, spit and whatever else was at hand. And it wasn’t the Vietnamese, it was this grateful nation who still thinks more of a football game than the Veterans who fought to make it possible for this game to go on. They will spend all this money on crybaby millionaires and not offer one bit of hope that this wall can continue to give a Vet some peace and closure, or to educate a child of the hazards and consequences of WAR. Nothing much has changed in 32 years.

Well as I said I have a letter I want to stick in here so I’ll put it in now and close for today. I WILL BE BACK !!






November 30, 2007

Tom & Dee Twigg
4751 N. Kenansville Road St. Cloud, FL 34773

Dear Tom and Dee;


III III
•
LAKE HIGHLAND
PREPARATORY SCHOOL Cultivating Intellect &: Character



On behalf of Lake Highland Preparatory School, thank you for bringing your replica of the Vietnam Wall Memorial to our campus for this year's Veterans' Salute. This year's program, "Freedom", focused on how freedom has evolved with each generation while remaining true to our forefathers scripting.

We began our tribute dedicated to our revolutionary war patriots and ended with the current war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Having the Vietnam War Wall helped tie in the history of all that happened in this great country.

One portion of Lake Highland's mission statement charges us to inspire patriotism for our students. You have helped us do this by having the wall on display. It was a tremendous effort on your part to have this set up and made available for our students on
November 8th and 9th. Your passion to make sure that these fallen and missing soldiers. never be forgotten is a worthy goal and every American should see and experience it.

We were especially touched by the many stories you shared with us. They made those names engraved on the wall come alive and helped us remember that these soldiers were real people with real families who loved and missed them.

Many of our Lower School teachers expressed their appreciation of the time you took with our youngest Highlanders and how you and Dee took the time to answer their questions, tell them about the wall. It is hard to believe that the Vietnam War was 40 years ago. This has helped us provide the finest college preparatory education for each Highlander student.

Thank you again for supporting our students, our faculty and our Veterans' Salute program. Your active involvement enables us to continue our thirty-seven year tradition of developing scholars and leaders.

Cheryl & I have included a copy of this year's tribute recorded on a DVD for you. Please accept this and our donation to help you continue your mission of educating others. We as Americans should never forget the sacrifice of those who came before us. Our freedoms would not be available without their dedication, effort and love of America.






since~d,:I:. Linda Hardy- (7 Veterans Salute Chair



~,P? ,

tle~\1'f. Special Events Coordinator



901 NORTH HIGHLAND AVENUE• ORLANDO, FL 32803 • 407.206.1900 • FAX 407.206.1911 Accredited b Southern Association if Colleges and Schools and Honda Councl! if Independent Schools
Member if National Association iflndependent Schools