Staff and students at Lawson Elementary School held a Veteran's Assembly on Friday that featured the donation of $1,512 to area veteran's programs, Principal Patricia Tavenner reported.
The money will be donated to Wreathes for Heroes, a program that lays wreaths on the graves of service members buried at the National Cemetery and Central Missouri Honor Flight program, which sends veterans to visit the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. The elementary school has sponsored two veterans - Joe Twehous, Navy, and Paul LePage, Army - who both served in the Korean War. LePage was able to attend the program.
At the assembly, the Lawson Elementary Scout troops led a flag ceremony and third-grader Paige Lambert sang the National Anthem.
Michael Beck - who works with the Central Missouri Honor Flight and is a Vietnam veteran - was the guest speaker. He has traveled on 19 flights.
All the active duty and veterans in attendance were recognized and a "mail call" was given for each with bundled cards and letters from the school's students.
Edward Yorkgitis, a World War II veteran, was recognized. He shared pictures and stories from when he was in the military. Excerpts from his diary - which he kept during the war - were read by his daughter, Lisa Nahach. Yorkgitis is related to Elizabeth Nahach, a student in the school.
The Lawson Synergy Singers, a student choir, commemorated the assembly with patriotic music.