A Veteran’s honor: Walking the walk of honor amid students and staff of Cedar Ridge Intermediate School

What a special week this has been in Branson. A week where Branson’s “star” of Faith, Family, Flag and Fun shone its brightest as Branson celebrated Branson Veterans Homecoming Week. Although Branson honors and celebrates Veterans every day, this week is dedicated to the community, emphasizing the depth of its feeling for our Veterans. It is America’s largest celebration of its kind.

There were Veterans’ events all over Branson honoring Veterans, from small-unit reunions to the 93rd Annual Veterans Day Parade, which always starts at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, as it has for 93 consecutive years. So many have done so much. How does a Veteran say “Thank you” to all those who did so much to make this week so memorable? You can’t, but this Veteran can describe one event that was special to him with the confidence that thousands of Veterans who attended Branson’s Veterans Week share similar feelings about their experiences.

Upon arriving at Cedar Ridge, this 10-year U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and his wife of 61 years, herself a U.S. Navy Veteran, were greeted by their great-grandson, Cruze Westfall, and taken to the library to join other veterans and their families for a reception. After the reception, there was a Walk of Honor and a special Veterans program as part of their assembly. A highlight of the assembly was the heartfelt performance of the anthems of each branch of the Armed Forces and “America the Beautiful,” which was so beautifully sung by the school’s honor choir.

But what will remain indelibly inscribed in my mind forever is the feeling I had as we left the library and started the “Walk of Honor.” What an honor it was to walk among all the students and staff of the school, lined up on both sides of the hallway. Each of the students had prepared a patriotic drawing and was holding it in front of them, and as we walked by, many said, “Thank you” or thank you for your service.”

It was a special feeling as we walked those halls. You had to be there to feel it. Tears came to my eyes as I thought about all the effort the school’s staff and students had put into the walk and what these students’ expression of appreciation for Veterans bodes for America’s future. You had to be there to feel it; I was, and I did!

Thank you, Cedar Ridge Intermediate School teachers, staff and students, for a special moment that this Veteran will cherish forever.

And that’s what’s so special about Branson Veterans Week. This is just one Veteran describing one event. Multiply that times dozens of events and thousands of Veterans, and you have an idea of the impact of Branson Veterans Week and what it means to so many Veterans. God bless Branson, Missouri, America’s Most Patriotic City!