Four American Legion Post 30 members in South Carolina read, share and give comic books to nearly 100 students in support of Children & Youth Month.
Four American Legion members of Hezzie Griffis Post 30 in Edgefield, S.C., gave nearly 100 elementary students a greater appreciation for veterans in April during Children & Youth Month. Teams of two visited four Edgefield County elementary schools from April 21-25 to read to the students, share stories, answer questions and hand out goody bags filled with Legion Family comic books.
“We just had a great time at each school,” said Post 30 Commander Winston Boddie. “The kids were so interactive. It was just really great. And at the end of our time, the kids came up and gave us hugs all around. It was really, really nice interacting with each student.”
Winston visited classrooms at W.E. Parker Elementary and Merriwether Elementary schools with Post 30 Adjutant Jane Doolittle. Both Boddie and Doolittle read books to the students such as “Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhoods,” “What is a Veteran, Anyway?” and “What Does it Mean to Be an American?” When it was read how soldiers eat MREs, the students could relate. Last fall, Boddie said that Edgefield County was the second worst county hit by Hurricane Helene and many students remembered first responders handing out MREs and how they had to squeeze the bags to warm them. “It was a really good bonding moment between us and the kids,” he said.
Then William Beaver, an active-duty Army chaplain, and his father-in-law Dr. Bruce Mears spent time at Johnston Elementary and Wardlaw Elementary schools. Beaver wore his uniform and brought along his combat vest and helmet for the kids to try on, while educating how men and women can serve in various military roles. And Mears, a Vietnam veteran, shared pictures of his dog that went to war with him to educate that dogs also serve.
Before the Legionnaires departed each classroom, students received a bag filled with The American Legion’s “Our Country’s Veterans” and “Our Country’s Flag” comic book, American Legion Auxiliary’s “America the Beautiful” coloring book and crayons.
Boddie said the opportunity for Post 30 members to get into the schools and speak with the students was about educating, connecting and giving back. “Veterans are the fabric of our society, especially here in Edgefield County. So it’s that connection with the veterans and with those who have sacrificed for our freedoms and given us the life that we enjoy today. We want to get into the schools to educate the kids. We want to get in to have a closer relationship with the schools and to give back. We’re all about giving back to our community, and that’s what we want to do.”
This is not the first time Post 30 has been in the county elementary and middle schools. Members have provided flag education and etiquette, including how to raise, lower and fold the U.S. flag, distributed the Legion’s flag comic book, and Doolittle conducted the Missing Man Table ceremony during a Veterans Day ceremony at W.E. Parker Elementary School. When it came to reading in the classrooms last month, Boddie said it was about communication and reaching out.
He and District 17 Commander Jerome Childs spoke with the school board last fall. “We got on their agenda, we went in, we had some talking points, and we laid out everything that we would like to partner with the Edgefield County Schools on,” Boddie said. This included American Legion Boys State, Auxiliary Girls State, oratorical contest, flag etiquette and reading to students. Boddie even discussed with the school board about having students “interview our veterans to preserve our history. We provided the whole gambit of what the Legions has to offer.”
And for the first time, the three Legion posts in Edgefield County – Post 30, 154 and 222 – each submitted a nomination for Department of South Carolina’s Teacher of the Year. Boddie said the three posts are working closely together to serve the community of Edgefield County.
Visiting the elementary school classrooms next year is the goal for the Post 30 members because it “was a really good experience,” Boddie said, adding that his 13-year-old grandson was staying with him and his wife Diane Peterson, so he came along to help out. “It was such a rewarding day to be able to go and do that.”
- Youth