When I said last time that we’d be adopting a whole new routine I wasn’t kidding.
REUNION. I had the opportunity to attend the 73rd Bomb Wing Reunion again this year. This time it was in Oklahoma City. It was a quick trip. I flew out there Thursday and came home Saturday. The only tour I went on was of the Tinker Air Force Base. It was basically a windshield tour from a bus as we drove around the perimeter of the base. We did get out at the gate to walk around planes on static display and again at the end for lunch at their Officer’s Club.
I say this each time, but the biggest attraction for me is talking to the veterans. This was the smallest reunion I have been to with about 170 attending and only 61 of these being veterans. I did see more wheelchairs and wheeled walkers than ever before. But then there were two veterans who drove in from St. Louis on their motorcycles.
I got to renew acquaintances with a lot of friends and met a few more new ones. Bob Stangland and Achilles Stathas (along with his wife Janet) were there from Dad’s crew. They are doing well. I spent a lot of my time with them as well as Carl Barthold (and his wife Nancy). Mr. Barthold shared the Quonset hut with Dad and his crew. Mr. and Mrs. Krantz were also there with several members of their family. It was also a pleasure to see Bill Agee (and his wife Joan) as he was unable to attend last year. There were also several new faces, veterans and legacy members alike, who were there. It was really fun to watch them get information for the first time and make new connections like I did in Memphis three years ago.
OPERATION ETHAN. I really, really hated to miss this, but by the time Ethan was diagnosed with cancer and this event was organized my trip to Oklahoma City was scheduled and pretty much set in stone. Saturday the community in Cross Plains pulled out all the stops and had a huge fund raiser for Ethan at Kilgore Park. The event started at 10:00 am and ended eleven hours later. They had food. They had kids activities (inflatable bounce toys, pony rides, train rides, jewelry making, crafts, a petting zoo, face painting, a dunking booth, etc.). They had an auction (both silent and with an auctioneer). And they had music. They had an all day concert with a mix of local talent and artists like Lesley McDaniel, Jessica Frech, and Sierra Tomlin. A local Christian radio station (94 FM The Fish) also partnered with us to have a large concert from 6:00-9:00 (after all the other activities had closed down). At this time Building 429, 33 Miles, Pocket Full of Rocks, Britten, and Mila Mason took the stage. What made the whole thing even better was that God provided a perfect day for the event. The last I heard there has been over $50,000 raised for Ethan so far.
Vicki has been on the planning team for Operation Ethan (chaired by Sherree Totten) so last week it seemed like every waking moment for her has been consumed with preparations for Saturday. On top of all this Jenna came down with pneumonia and then I went to Oklahoma City. It’s a great thing we live close to grandmothers. I really didn’t see much of Vicki all week when I was here. I don’t think the kids saw much of her after I left either.
A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. We never had organized trips when I was in school. Well, we did have short field trips to places like the Hermitage (the home of Andrew Jackson) and the State Capitol, but never anything big. That’s why when we received information last year about a trip to Washington, DC, for kids in grades 5-8 at East Robertson I told Vicki, “We’ll find a way for you and Jenna to go.” They left this morning and will return home late Thursday night. They have gotten there safely, and are thoroughly enjoying themselves. I’ll save the rest of the details for when they come home.
Joe
