Patriotic events surround Sept. 11

Two gatherings scheduled for Thursday in honor of Sept. 11 mark the beginning of a cluster of patriotic events this month.

A noon prayer gathering is planned outside the county courthouse in Jackson.

Sandy Donley, owner of ReMax Devine Homes Realty, organized the event after seeing an advertisement calling for a nondenominational prayer as part of the national Cry Out America event. The event commemorates Patriot Day, so named after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Donley is closing her office so her 21 employees can participate.

"We're going to try to get it out to as many churches as we can. Most people go to lunch from [noon to 1 p.m.] anyway," she said. "It is when our nation comes together in prayer, like they're asking people to do at our county courthouses, when Christians come together and pray together simultaneously, it supposedly bombards the gates of heaven for the prayers to be answered."

Scott County commissioners will have a moment of silence during Thursday's meeting, followed by a prayer led by the Rev. Dennis Lowe of Unity Baptist Church in Benton, Mo. Lowe said the focus of his message will be that "we shouldn't take life for granted. The real heroes are those out in the trenches that will put their lives at risk for anybody."

On Saturday, World War II veterans will be honored in Poplar Bluff with a "Parade of Honor" organized by Rob Callahan. The Poplar Bluff banker has organized periodic trips to Washington, D.C., for veterans to see the National World War II memorial.

Callahan said he plans to serve lunch to at least 50 veterans, on a "first-come, first-served" basis, starting at noon at Poplar Bluff Junior High School. The female trio Replica will serenade veterans with 1940s-era Andrew Sisters songs. The veterans will be honored in a parade before the Poplar Bluff Mules football game.

But Callahan said he wasn't thinking of Sept. 11 when he planned the parade -- he's thinking ahead of the next Honor Tour trip and raising the remaining $14,000 cost. He has been shepherding veterans on free trips to the memorial for more than a year, with trips planned trips for September, October and November. Callahan is worried he may have to cancel the trips. He said funding is beginning to dry up -- Southwest Airlines, which gave him tickets for previous trips, is no longer giving free flights.

Dave and Mary Hitt of Jackson are scheduled to accompany the veterans for the next three-day, two-night trip. The Hitts are paying for their own expense.

"I saw it as an opportunity to be part of something," said Dave Hitt, a Vietnam veteran and commander of the American Legion Post 158 in Jackson. "It's just so doggone neat."

Flag disposal ceremony

Hitt is also working on a patriotic event with Boy Scout Troop 311 of Jackson. They have planned a flag disposal ceremony for 7 p.m. Sept. 22. Hitt said flag disposals are held infrequently. He has only seen one in five years. The joint event with the Boy Scouts will be in the parking lot of the American Legion Post 158; Missouri Sen. and Eagle Scout Jason Crowell is scheduled to speak at the event. The Scouts are expected to perform the ceremonial burning and disposal.

"We just get all the flags that have been worn out that are really raggy," said Daniel Krydynski, 14, a Life Scout working on his Eagle Scout rank in Boy Scout Troop 311 of Jackson. "We proceed with burning the flag. Four people hold the corners, and march it over to a bin that has a fire. When we're done burning all the flags, we take the ashes and bury them, about two feet down."

American Legion Post 158 is on North High Street, between Washington and Mary streets. Hitt recommends bringing lawn chairs.

For more information on Thursday's prayer gathering, call Chrissy Meisenheimer at 339-0488. For Parade of Honor or Honor Tour information, call Callahan at 573-785-8461. Donations to the Honor Tour trips should be sent to the Stoddard County Development Foundation, P.O. Box 65, Bloomfield, MO 63825; put "Honor Tour" on check memo.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127