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mokenamessenger.com news<br />
the Mokena Messenger | November 15, 2018 | 3<br />
No politics, just patriotism at MES Veterans Day assembly<br />
Amanda Villiger<br />
Assistant Editor<br />
With about half the students<br />
in the elementary<br />
school gymnasium, one<br />
might expect it to get a bit<br />
rowdy in the space that normally<br />
hosts a variety of sports<br />
and extracurricular activities.<br />
But that was not the case at<br />
Mokena Elementary School<br />
the morning of Nov. 7.<br />
Students invited their own<br />
special veterans — whether<br />
that was a grandparent, aunt,<br />
uncle or parent — to join<br />
them as the students sang<br />
songs and read letters and<br />
poems during their assembly.<br />
Efren Dizon, of Mokena,<br />
who served in the Navy<br />
from 1968-1974 after being<br />
recruited from the Philippines,<br />
said the assembly was<br />
a nice opportunity to meet<br />
other veterans, build a bit of<br />
camaraderie and take a minute<br />
to remember the past.<br />
The assembly was largely<br />
coordinated by MES firstgrade<br />
teacher Kathy Arduino,<br />
of Mokena, whose<br />
father, Jim Woods, served in<br />
the Navy from 1968-1979.<br />
Woods said he and his<br />
wife Pat have a son who<br />
served in the Navy, and one<br />
of their nine grandchildren<br />
has expressed interest in<br />
joining the Navy, too.<br />
“I think our one grandson<br />
wants to join the Navy, too,<br />
but he’s a little young for<br />
that yet,” Woods said. “He’s<br />
6.”<br />
With all the military memorabilia<br />
around their house,<br />
Woods said he is not surprised<br />
when the grandchildren<br />
ask about his days in<br />
the military.<br />
“It’s very different times<br />
[now], and you have to realize<br />
that you have to work<br />
together as a team,” Woods<br />
said. “It’s usually a team<br />
building effort, especially<br />
serving aboard a ship, or<br />
any military unit, you have<br />
to get along with everybody<br />
Mokena Elementary School first grader Alan Haag reads a letter he wrote to veterans<br />
during the Veterans Day assembly at the school on Wednesday, Nov. 7.<br />
Navy veteran Efren Dizon shows off some of the letters and pictures from MES students<br />
after the Veterans Day assembly at the school.<br />
and you have to be willing to<br />
work hard.”<br />
At the assembly, Woods<br />
said it struck him that the<br />
youngsters seemed to have<br />
“a good understanding of<br />
what the veterans do and the<br />
sacrifices.” He said that’s not<br />
always the case, especially<br />
for children so young.<br />
Though most of the students<br />
are likely too young to<br />
understand the veterans’ experiences<br />
and sacrifices, Dizon<br />
said the event provided<br />
an opportunity for people to<br />
reflect on how war affects<br />
people and families, and<br />
how veterans help make this<br />
country what it is today.<br />
“We have this freedom we<br />
are enjoying in the United<br />
States,” he said. “Not like<br />
other countries — especially<br />
in the [developing nations],<br />
just like where I came from,<br />
the Philippines.”<br />
Girl Scouts (left to right) Juliana Siville, Isabella Enright,<br />
Cecilia Welch and Frances Morrison present the flag at the<br />
start of the Veterans Day assembly Nov. 7 at MES. Photos<br />
by Amanda Villiger/22nd Century Media<br />
Bob Spychalski<br />
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