BHS hosts annual ceremony honoring local military veterans
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
In a ceremony that had to be delayed by a couple of weeks, Breckenridge High School honored local U.S. military veterans with its annual Veterans Celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 29, in the high school gym.
The ceremony opened with the Breckenridge High School band playing Chain Cotillion and a salute to the veterans from local scout troops. Veterans were escorted in by BHS students as Girl Scouts from Troop 8356 led by Kim Fuller, Cub Scouts from Pack 81 and Girls Troop 72 led by Matt Wunsch and Boy Scouts from Troop 63 led by Brian Kight lined up and saluted them.
U.S. Air Force Col. Knox Bishop (Ret.) presents the flag from the flag ceremony to Kim Walker, who organizes the annual Veterans Celebration at Breckenridge High School. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The flags from the different branches of the military along with the POW/MIA flag were brought in to the gym and posted by local and area veterans.
Veterans and American Volunteer Reserve members Knox Bishop and Jon Walker then posted the colors.
Following the introduction by Kim Walker, a retired BISD teacher and coach, First Baptist Church Pastor Andy Rodgers gave the invocation and Lisa Echols with the Daughters of the American Revolution led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. Kason Burchett led the Texas Pledge, and Cabel Perkins sang the National Anthem.
Walker introduced BHS students representing various patriotic American symbolism, including the U.S. flag, Uncle Sam, Rosie the Riveter and the Statue of Liberty. BHS teacher Calvin Best recognized the honored guests. Shonda Wood sang “America the Beautiful.” Then the Buckaroo Band played the official songs of the five branches of the U.S. Military — the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard — and the veterans stood during the song for their branch.
Bryan Goehring, a BISD teacher and coach and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was the featured guest speaker. After talking about the freedoms that many Americans take for granted on a daily basis, Goehring said, “This is my challenge to you: when you find out someone is a veteran or see someone with a veteran hat or veteran’s shirt on, thank them for their service. You never know how far that goes to make that veteran feel like what they laid on the line was worth it for the people that they protected.”
Finis Smith sang “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” Then, Kim Walker read “The Table” while students set the “Missing Man Table,” also known as the “Fallen Comrade Table.”
The First Baptist Church Praise Team performed “Graves into Gardens,” and Knox Bishop and Jon Walker presented a flag ceremony. The flag that was used for the ceremony was the one that was presented to Kim Walker and her sister, Connie Robbins, following the 2008 funeral for their father, Al Meeks, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart.
Anthony Kelly, a former BHS teacher and coach and Coast Guard veteran, sang “God Bless the USA.” Bishop and Walker then retired the colors, and Best offered the closing remarks. Aston Martin and Malachi Harper played Echo Taps.
After the ceremony, the veterans were treated to a reception in the foyer of the gym.
Click here to see more photos from the Veterans Day celebration in the Breckenridge Texan Gallery.
Bryan Goehring, a BISD teacher and coach and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was the featured guest speaker at the Nov. 29 Veterans Celebration at Breckenridge High School. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Zaea Ragle, center, represented the Statue of Liberty during the Veterans Celebration at Breckenridge High School. She joined Cabel Perkins as Rosie the Riveter, left, and Reyse Hash as Uncle Sam, right, in demonstrating symbols of the United States of America. To see more photos from the event, click here to visit the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Local veterans watch as American Volunteer Reserve members and U.S. veterans Jon Walker, left, and Knox Bishop fold an American flag during the flag ceremony at the BHS Veterans Celebration held last week to honor local veterans. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
