Lighthouse Christian School to honor veterans with Nov. 17 program | Lifestyle

The Veterans Day observance at Lighthouse Christian College in Dagsboro this yr will as soon as once more carry veterans and their households along with schoolchildren, with the 2022 theme, “Defending Freedom,” bringing a spotlight to the significance of honoring those that serve with the objective of doing simply that.

The college’s annual Veterans Day program had been canceled the previous two years due to COVID-19, in response to program organizer Pat Viguie. It returns to the college, and the neighborhood is invited to attend, on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m.

This yr’s program will characteristic visitor audio system Darin McCann, govt editor of the Coastal Level and Desert Storm U.S. Marine veteran, and Tyler Naked, who served in Afghanistan and is now a faculty useful resource officer at Selbyville Center College.

Viguie mentioned the “Defending Freedom” message harkens again to what’s described within the Declaration of Independence as the fitting of Individuals to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” with an emphasis on these freedoms being accessible to all Individuals, not just a few.

“It means the liberty to dream and dream large,” she mentioned.

Previous applications have centered on veterans of previous wars, and ladies within the navy had been celebrated throughout one yr, Viguie mentioned.

The Lighthouse program honors all branches of the navy by enjoying the signature track of every, whereas veterans stand to be acknowledged. Lately, the college’s fifth-graders have participated in a presentation on the Folding of the Flag ceremony, folding a U.S. flag whereas the importance of every fold is defined.

One of many signature items in this system previously — throughout which college students greet veterans with a handshake, is not going to be held this yr, as a result of persevering with COVID-19 issues, Viguie mentioned. Additionally, the scholars will attend this system in smaller teams, as their grades carry out, and can watch the remainder of this system in one other a part of the college on a reside feed, once more due to issues concerning COVID, Viguie mentioned.

Academics have been making ready a slideshow for this system, that includes the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and the assaults on the U.S. in New York, Washington, D.C., and that led to the aircraft crash in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001.

The 2-hour program, which is open to the general public, begins at 1 p.m.

Viguie mentioned she has been serving to to arrange this system since 2008.

“Veterans are very expensive to my coronary heart,” she mentioned, notably since her husband, Rudy, is a veteran of the Korean Warfare. He mentioned he’s all the time moved by this system, particularly the interactions between the youngsters and the veterans.

Rudy Viguie mentioned his Korean Warfare reminiscences stay with him, however that his strongest reminiscence of that interval is “the second I mentioned goodbye to my mom,” earlier than departing for his tour of obligation on the age of 17. He mirrored that, whereas recognizing veterans is necessary, he feels honoring the sacrifices of the households of those that served — particularly those that gave their lives — is simply as essential.

Pat Viguie mentioned she feels the yearly program shouldn’t be solely necessary as a recognition of the service of space veterans, but additionally as an opportunity for Lighthouse college students to develop of their understanding of that service.

“Our youngsters want to recollect what folks undergo and be empathetic,” she mentioned, including that “they could be a missionary at residence to all these women and men who’ve served.”

Lighthouse Christian College is situated at 28157 Lighthouse Crossing, Dagsboro.