Kelly event another opportunity to honor veterans

scottw@standard-democrat.com

BENTON -- If you were unable to attend the Veterans Ceremony in Sikeston Tuesday -- or would just like to honor veterans a second time this year -- make plans to visit Kelly High School Friday morning.

Veterans will be honored by Kelly Schools during a ceremony scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday in the Thomas W. Kelly High School gymnasium.

Kelly's Veterans Day Ceremony is scheduled on an alternate day because "we want as many people to come as possibly can," said Tom Austin, chairman of Firebase Sikeston, a group of veterans who volunteer to support community events. "We would love to have people come to ours, too. It is for the public, also."

Austin said he first worked with Dan Hecht, principal of Kelly High School, on Kelly's Veteran Day Ceremony about four or five years ago.

"We've tried to take it and run with it," Hecht said. "We've tried to make it a little bit bigger and better."

"The kids that are there are a captive audience, grades 6 through 12," Austin said. But even if they are required to attend, "there is nothing but respectful attention. They are genuinely interested in what is going on -- they are young gentlemen and ladies."

When Austin removes the POW/MIA flag to end the Lest We Forget-POW/MIA portion of the ceremony, "it is an awesome, solemn experience," Hecht said. "We will have 600 students in the gymnasium and you can hear a pin drop."

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