Bob Oborn, 'the host with the most', thanked everyone who participated in the Reverse Raffle. The club profited $11,950 from the event. $990 in gift cards was donated. Thanks to Brad Ruth who secured $400 of those donations. The club is grateful to Bob and Annette Oborn for guiding us through the virtual event!
Our Veterans' Day program featured service stories from members and guests of our Club. We thank Allison Terlacher, daughter of Bob and Annette Oborn, for opening our program --- Allison's beautiful singing of 'The Star Spangled Banner' was enjoyed by all!
Mike Kostyack's guest, Nada Fleming, was first to speak. She told how she became a nurse in the U.S. Navy because the Navy paid for her final year of nursing school. Nada was stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Chicago, later becoming a reservist. in 1990, Nada, an operating nurse, was deployed to Bahrain to assist with the establishment of a tent hospital. She retired after 21 years in the service. Nada has continued to serve in many leadership roles for veterans' activities.
Ray Evans talked about his service in naval intelligence in Washington. During that time, the work was so classified and specialized that naval employees needed personal escorts to the bathroom. He was in San Juan Puerto Rico during the Cuban Missile Crisis on a naval cruise ship. Ray enjoyed his time spent with the Navy.
Roger Cline enlisted in the Army between the Korean and Vietnam wars, serving in the Army Finance Corps. His service ended as part of the Finance Office in the Army Office of Pathology. Roger says those were great days and he still misses them after all of these years.
Steve Stimmel was attending the University of Akron in 1969 when he enlisted in the Navy. He finished his degree and went active in 1970. As a petty officer, he was an officer on a warship, becoming a radar/sonar specialist. Later, he was part of gunfire training in the Caribbean. Steve served as a reservist for three years after leaving active duty in 1972.
Dick Hall served in the National Guard during the 1970 riots at Kent State University. Hearing the shots fired on May 4, 1970, Dick will forever be impacted by events he witnessed. Dick left the service in 1972 as an apprentice carpenter.
Linda Trevorrow also shared a
Veterans' story. Her father was an Army tank driver in the Korean War. He died in 1980. As a child of a deceased war veteran, she was awarded a 'full ride' scholarship for her studies at the University of Akron. Linda will always be grateful for her father's service and help in financing her college education. The Ohio War Orphan & Severely Disabled Veterans' Children Scholarship Program awards tuition assistance to the children of deceased or severely disabled Ohio veterans who served in the armed forces during a period of declared war or conflict.
Bob Oborn told us he always admired his grandfather who was Chief of Detectives in Cuyahoga Falls. After graduating from Cuyahoga Falls High School in 1976, Bob went to the Army's Ft. Dix, followed by time spent at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. He became a member of the military police. Eventually he went to Germany where he was stationed at a NATO training facility.
Bob spoke about Wreaths Across America, a program remembering and honoring our veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country's fallen heroes and the act of saying the name of each and every veteran aloud. Individuals pay $15 to sponsor a wreath, $30 for two, etc. Bob's Dad is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Karen Monbeck remembered her Dad, a Navy veteran, on his birthday (Nov 11). He served on a destroyer escort ship. She fondly remembers going through pictures in a suitcase stored in their attic.
Sue Figler told a story about how she was named by her parents in honor of her Dad's good friend from the National Guard. She emphasized the importance of relationships and friendships made among and between veterans.
