On Friday, Nov. 8, the students and staff of Saint Augustine School were honored to invite local veterans to special events for Veterans Day.
Veterans were recognized and prayed for at the 10 a.m. Mass. Veteran Deacon Frank Estill and his second grade granddaughter, JoBeth Schmidt read the readings during Mass. Veteran Bernard Ruf and his third grade granddaughter, Sammie Young read prayers during Mass. Veteran Tim Sweeney and his wife, Linda, presented the gifts.
Veteran Steve Welte explained the history of Veterans Day to everyone at the end of Mass.
Everyone then congregated in front of the school for a program by the local Augusta VFW. This included raising the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. Following this, veterans and their families were invited to the decorated cafeteria for a full lunch and dessert. They were given handwritten thank you letters from the middle school students, and they left with small soldier statues with an attached poem.
All of the students participated in the events and helped decorate the front of school with soldier silhouettes, inside of church with coloring pages and flags, and in the cafeteria with an American flag made from student handprints. The patriotic pictures colored by each student were then taken to local nursing home veterans. Saint Augustine School was honored to host these brave men and women.
