The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 156, No. 75, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 19, 2009 Page: 4 of 21
twenty one pages : ill. ; page 24 x 14 in.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Page A4 • Wat JBastrop Hdocrtiscr
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Essay winners at Veterans Weekend
■>
1
the help of
Major Dougherty
holding the micro-
phone, best overall
essay winner Amy
Whitworth tells the
crowd why she is
so inspired by the
men and women who
serve in America's
military.
BY AMY WHITWORTH
Top Overall
Veterans Day means a
lot to me. It is a day when
we honor the people who
serve our country. My
family has had two mem-
bers that have served our
country. My grandfather
served in World War
II. He was a member of
the Army Air Force. My
brother, John, is in the
Army and lives in Germa-
ny. He has served in Iraq
and is supposed to go to
Afghanistan next year. In
Afghanistan our veterans
are fighting so that we
can be safe. They fight to
protect our freedom.
For many years wars
have been going on in
many countries. Our vet-
erans go to those coun-
tries to work. They make
many sacrifices so we can
be safe. Our troops put
their lives in danger for
us. Some of them have
been killed so we can live
n peace. I think they are
brave.
I know how it feels to
have a family member
go away to fight for us. It
makes me proud but I get
scared and worried. Once
I cried myself to sleep,
because I was so scared
that my brother would
get hurt. One of his bud-
dies was killed by a road-
side bomb. It was hard
for him. I think it is hard
to have someone you love
be killed. It's like a big
a big hole in your heart
and you have a hard time
sleeping.
I'm glad we have Vet-
eran's Day so we can say
"thanks" to the people
who fight to keep us safe.
They need to know we
care about them.
hotos By
Andy Ross
Best 6th grade essay
winner Chance Zigal
reads to the crowd Sat-
urday morning.
BY CHANCE ZIGAL
Top 6th grade
Whether it is in an of-
fice, on a battlefield, or
at a switchboard, it takes
a hero to be a veteran.
Bravery and patriotism
are characteristics of vet-
erans. Veterans Day was
created to honor all people
who have served, fought,
and died for our country
and our freedom. People
who served in the military
and gave their services
and risked their lives.
They deserve our thanks.
When people think
of veterans, a word that
might come to mind is
hero. Soldiers leave their
homes, families and
friends to fight for our
country and the freedom
we believe in so strongly.
If a brother, cousin, uncle
or friend gets killed during
a battle, veterans keep go-
ing. They need to wait un-
til a later time to grieve,
cry, and mourn their lost
companions. Soldiers en-
dure loss, blistering cold,
scorching heat, trench
foot, and more. That is a
hero! Being brave does not
mean wearing a red cape
and moving faster than a
speeding bullet, or having
massive muscles, it means
doing ones duty, even
when it is unpleasant or
unbearable. During an at-
tack or battle, there may
be bombs falling, bullets
flying, blood, rain, and the
death of soldiers and civil-
ians. It takes bravery to
live through that. Years
later when veterans are
safely home, nightmarish
scenes are often still vivid
in their minds. The sol-
dier, the veteran does not
complain. When young
men and women enlist
in the armed forces, they
know the dangers they
face. They still enlist and
are willing to risk their
lives for the freedom of
their country because
they believe they feel
proud.
Soldiers leave home,
go overseas, fight for
our country, and either
die proud or come home
proud. That is bravery
and that is what Veter-
ans Day means to me.
Luke Schneider, winner of the Best 5th grade student essay, reads his work to the crowd gathered for the Vet-
erans Day Ceremony.
BY LUKE SCHNEIDER
Top 5th grade
Veterans Day is to
celebrate the people who
fought for our country and
are still alive. It is the day
to honor them and praise
them. Without them we
might not have the rights
we have today. Every day
they risk their lives for our
freedom. They don't have
to, but they want to, so they
know that we will go to bed
with no fear that we will be
killed while we are asleep.
They are the people we
love and trust to protect us.
Our lives and freedom are
n their hands. They fight
for freedom and honor. We
would be nothing without
them. They are the people
we should look up to. I
know I look up to them.
I have three friends that
are veterans. Their names
are TJ, Justin and Levi.
TJ and Justin are broth-
ers and their mom works
with my mom. Levi's mom
also works with my mom.
They miss their sons a lot.
TJ and Justin are in Bagh-
dad, Iraq. TJ is a field medic
and takes care of wounded
soldiers until they can be
taken to the hospital. He
goes out on missions with
the forward recon, and it's
very dangerous. Justin is
with a Striker Group. This
is very dangerous because
they get hit with roadside
bombs. Levi is about to go
to Iraq. He is with airborne
and jumps out of airplanes.
TJ and Justin have been
in the war for about 17
months.
TJ has a wife and two
kids who worry and miss
their husband/dad. Justin
has a wife, who he married
just before he went to war.
She worries and misses her
husband so much. They
come to visit their families
as much as possible. My
friends tell me what they
learn. Justin told me that
he knew how to call in air
strikes. Then Levi told me
that he could sky dive so
he could get to his destina-
tion. They have friends in
the U.S. and family in Ger-
many waiting for them to
come home as veterans.
You know what they
say, "Freedom isn't free",
as in "you have to fight for
freedom."
My grandfather was a
veteran of the Korean War
and was involved in the
Bay of Pigs. He was in the
Air Force and they were
chased by a Cuban fighter
plane, but lost the fighter
in the clouds.
Without veterans, Eu-
rope and the U.S. would be
under German or Japanese
rule. Our veterans keep
away people who would
want to hurt us or take
over our county. Our coun-
try was started by people
who fought to make this
the great country we have
today.
ar
lime H
We'd like to thank the brave men
and women of our Armed Forces
for protecting America and the
m American way of life, Please keep
-r- us in mind for your HOME AND AUTO
INSURANCE needs here at home,
It's our honor to be of service to you.
IK O E H L E R
BARTON
INSURANCE
I HOME. AUTO. LIFE. HEALTH. COMMERCIAL.
799 Hwy. 71 W.
Hastrop - 303-561
www.kbitexas.com
Bastrop Tire
& Automotive
Tirestonc
America s Tire Since 1900
ZtfUDUESTUHE
A GRIP ON THE FUTURE
1100 Hwy 95 • Bastrop, Texas
321-7669 • 303-7669
www.bastroptire.com
TOTAL CAR CARE
Brakes & Shocks • Exhaust Systems • Tune lips
Transmission Service • ASE Certified
State Inspections • Oil, Lube & Filter
Computerized Align & Balance • A'C Service
Nationwide Warranty • Towing Service Available
Stop Oy and try
Bastrop County 9
r ^
"BEST BURGER"
Six years running!
OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF VETERANS CLASSIC CAR SHOW
BASTROP, TEXAS
512-321-1803
2804 Hwy. 21 East in Bastrop
(across from Bastrop State Park)
Sun-Thurs 10:30am-9pm
Fri 8r Sat 10:30am-10pm
...and you
need to try our
Shiner Bock
battered
Cod Fish Fry
available on
Fridays
Specialty Beers ♦ Appetizers ♦ Milkshakes
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Wright, Cyndi. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 156, No. 75, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 19, 2009, newspaper, November 19, 2009; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth252632/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.