Spring Break
Theta Chi helps veterans
By: Matt Schirano
Issue date: 5/25/07 Section: Ed-Op
Originally published: 5/25/07 at 1:51 AM EST
Last update: 5/25/07 at 1:50 AM EST
Originally published: 5/25/07 at 1:51 AM EST
Last update: 5/25/07 at 1:50 AM EST
Collecting food for hungry families is one thing; spending a day working in a soup kitchen, handing that food directly to those who need it, is something else. Last weekend, eight brothers of Theta Chi Fraternity (myself included) went to Beverly National Cemetery in Burlington County, NJ to help a local VFW Post plant flags on the graves of passed veterans for Memorial Day.
We met eight veterans from VFW Post 3610 at the national military cemetery Sunday morning to place flags on the graves of over 70 soldiers who died in combat or of old age and had served in every war since World War I. The soldiers honored were former members of the post located in Kensington. They were honored with the placement of a flag to the left of their gravestone, followed by a moment of silence for reflection and prayer and a salute to honor their duty and sacrifices for our country.
While the physical toll of walking around a cemetery and planting flags is minimal, the effect it had on both the veterans of Post 3610 and us was much more profound. I don't think they had ever received an offer to help them with this task, and they really enjoyed not only our help, but also our company. They talked with us about their war experiences and we talked about life as college students as well as Fraternity brothers. Both groups came from drastically different upbringings, but we shared a respect for the past. None of us know the horror of war, and all of them are far too familiar with it. Few of them know the financial burden of attending a private university in an increasingly expensive modern society, something all of us are far too familiar with. I swear if one more person tells me they only paid one thousand dollars a year for their college education I'm going to freak.
Many VFW posts suffer from dwindling numbers, which is why we decided to help them. Older veterans die, and younger veterans, such as those coming home from the present wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are not as interested in becoming members of their local Post. This makes it harder for the remaining members to come out every year and honor all of their comrades for Memorial Day. One veteran commented that there are many graves that they don't ever get around to because they are in private cemeteries scattered all across Southeastern Pennsylvania. Combine old age with an increasing list of soldiers who need honoring and a lot of distance to cover, and one can see how help would be much appreciated.
We met eight veterans from VFW Post 3610 at the national military cemetery Sunday morning to place flags on the graves of over 70 soldiers who died in combat or of old age and had served in every war since World War I. The soldiers honored were former members of the post located in Kensington. They were honored with the placement of a flag to the left of their gravestone, followed by a moment of silence for reflection and prayer and a salute to honor their duty and sacrifices for our country.
While the physical toll of walking around a cemetery and planting flags is minimal, the effect it had on both the veterans of Post 3610 and us was much more profound. I don't think they had ever received an offer to help them with this task, and they really enjoyed not only our help, but also our company. They talked with us about their war experiences and we talked about life as college students as well as Fraternity brothers. Both groups came from drastically different upbringings, but we shared a respect for the past. None of us know the horror of war, and all of them are far too familiar with it. Few of them know the financial burden of attending a private university in an increasingly expensive modern society, something all of us are far too familiar with. I swear if one more person tells me they only paid one thousand dollars a year for their college education I'm going to freak.
Many VFW posts suffer from dwindling numbers, which is why we decided to help them. Older veterans die, and younger veterans, such as those coming home from the present wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are not as interested in becoming members of their local Post. This makes it harder for the remaining members to come out every year and honor all of their comrades for Memorial Day. One veteran commented that there are many graves that they don't ever get around to because they are in private cemeteries scattered all across Southeastern Pennsylvania. Combine old age with an increasing list of soldiers who need honoring and a lot of distance to cover, and one can see how help would be much appreciated.
