Laurie L.C. Lewis's Blog: Bloggin' It Up Here, page 40

One Small town's 9/11 Memorial: AN ENDURING TESTAMENT TO THE AMERICAN SPIRIT

The events of 9/11 are deeply personal to the volunteer firefighters who call Kensington's Station 5 "home." When hijackers crashed a plane into the Pentagon, Station 5's members gathered at the house, overcrowded their ambulance and engine, and raced to the scene, rescuing the wounded, recovering the dead, and battling the fires at the emblem of America's military might.

James Stanton, KVFD fire chief is understandably proud of his crew. "We didn't have to call them. We didn't have to send out a page. They knew they were needed, and they showed up."

Days later, Station 5 volunteers responded to another 9/11 need when a request arrived from New York City for help at the embattled World Trade Center site where thousands perished when two hijacked planes brought the Twin Towers down.

Speaking of that call for help, Master Firefighter John E. Thompson, a 43-year veteran of the KVFD said, "We were asked to provide an engine company and an ambulance, and we were there for several days. . . They had to fight the guys off because everyone wanted to go."

A small crowd gathered Saturday, June 25, at Kensington Volunteer Fire Department's Station 5 for the dedication of a very special set of monuments. 16-foot twisted beam of steel juts from an inscribed black base which reads:


"THIS TWISTED AND SCARRED PIECE OF STEEL FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 MEMORIALIZES THE 2976 PERSONS LOST THAT DAY IN NEW YORK CITY, THE PENTAGON, AND SHANKSVILLE, PA. IT ALSO SERVES AS AN ENDURING TESTAMENT TO THE AMERICAN SPIRIT. WE SHALL NEVER FORGET. GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA."
Nearby, a piece of granite pull from the point of impact at the Pentagon rest upon a similar base inscribed with these words:

"FROM THRE POINT OF IMPACT ON THE FAÇADE OF THE PENTAGON, DAMAGED BY THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. WE REMEMBER THE 184 CITIZENS WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES THERE THAT DAY SO THAT WE MAY LIVE IN FREEDOM. WE SALUTE THE KFVD UNITS AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WHO RESPONDED TO THIS TRAGEDY."

The half million dollar memorial project, the vision of KVFD President Steven R. Semler, was funded through donations and volunteer labor. The 9/11 Families Association assisted Station 5 in acquiring the beam. "This beam is from the point of impact between the 91st and 94th floors. It was given to us by the Port Authority of New York City and the 9/11 Families Association. We went up there, picked it out and brought it back," said John E. Thompson. The Department of Defense provided the block of granite from the Pentagon.


Steve Heidenberger, president of Heidenberger Construction, served as project manager, reaching out into the community for contractors willing to contribute materials and labor. For Heidenberger, the project was deeply personal. His brother, Tom Heidenberger, lost his wife Michelle at the attack on the Pentagon. Steve Heidenberger said he wanted the memorial to be built from volunteers, not money. His brother Tom hopes the memorial will also serve to teach future generations about 9/11. Said he, "They're going to ask, 'Mommy, daddy, what is this? Each of us will be able to explain to them what happened and the thousands of people who lost their lives that day."



Following speeches and the dedication of the monuments, a 3500 pound bell, one of the "Bells of Remembrance," inscribed with the names of the firefighters who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks, was rung in commemoration.

The monuments rest upon a red brick patio that pulls visitors out of the bustle. Gray bricks are interspersed throughout, engraved with the names of the contractors who contributed to the project. For a gift of $100, private individuals can have their own names or a message inscribed on a brick as a permanent remembrance. "The money raised [from the sale of the bricks] goes back to the 9/11 Families' Association and other similar charitable efforts."

In 2005 the firehouse was also invited to serve as the site one of four test rose gardens. The rose bushes are grown to determine climate hardiness for specific varieties being considered for three memorial rose gardens in New York City, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, PA. Several of the varieties are named specifically to commemorate 9/11 with names such as "Veterans' Honor" "Firefighters," "Forty Heroes," and "September Mourn." Jean Ward, a lifetime member of the fire company, and caretaker of the rose garden, explained why roses were being chosen for the planned memorial gardens. "Because the rose is a sign of remembrance."

With the tenth anniversary of 9/11 fast approaching, many remembrances will occur as Americans pause to reflect on the greatest attack on the Continental U.S. since the devastation of Washington during the war of 1812. Families and organizations interested in buying a brick can submit requests to https://kvfd.engravedbricks.com/.Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

THAT AIN'T WHAT I WAS TAUGHT IN SCHOOL!

I recently posted an article about in The Deseret News Online for Flag Day about the Star-Spangled Banner, "The First Icon of America." I posted the opinion of a British man who upon visiting the birthplace of the flag, Fort McHenry, comments that no other country reveres her flag quiet the way America does.

That comment stirred up considerable controversy from a particular reader who felt I had insulted the rest of the known universe for stating such a politically-prejudiced comment. Never mind that a Britain said it.

Other readers shot up to defend the right to say whatever we want about the flag and it got a bit testy. I was saddened that to some people, the right to even cheer and love the flag was seen as insensitive.

On the other side of the equation, I was equally saddened to see, through one reader's comment, how skewed our view of American history really is. Worse yet? That reader was a teacher.

Fables abound in American history. Some innocently came to be because the great American heroes were so beloved they became mythical to the people. Sometimes history was skewed because the most common form of entertainment of the day was dinner conversation, and a guest with ample storytelling skill and good stories to share could get invitations to the best parties. Such was the case of Mason Locke Weems, author and disseminator of the George Washington-cutting-down-the-cherry-tree story.

Some fables grew because family connections to history, and good timing, could prove financially beneficial. Case in point being the Betsy Ross story, which no historian will touch today. Yes, she sewed flags, and yes, she was acquainted with Robert Morris and possibly George Washington, but no document, so writing of Ross's, and no entry of any of the principles confirms any part of the tale that she sewed the first flag of the nation. I know that news breaks the hearts of a generation raised on that sweet tale, but the truth is the Ross's grandson was in danger of losing the family home around the time of the centennial, and he began spinning that tale just in time to bring guests to his home to see where the flag was made. It saved the home, and tainted history.

The comment made against my article was from a woman who rejected the story about the Star-Spangled Banner being lowered during the Battle of Baltimore because a storm began. Instead of the large banner flying through the wind and rain, which likely would have made the flag too heavy causing it to possibly snap, the smaller storm flag flew through the night, and the large garrison flag was raised before dawn so the British and the Americans would see that the fort had withstood the 23-hour bombardment.

She also didn't like the idea that the tattered edges of the flag were made by the fort's commander, Major Armistead, who cut pieces off the end and mailed them to friends and patriots who wanted a memento from the valiant banner. Like her, I too was raised to see those tears as sacred battle scars. As a child I had been taken to the Smithsonian to reverently stand and gaze upon the scarred fabric, and I was awed. The true story is less dramatic, but carries its own patriotic charm. That a beleaguered people so rallied around this rectangle of fabric that it became precious--a thing to be treasured--is no small matter, is it?

A few months ago I came across a You Tube video by a pastor telling the story of the Star-Spangled Banner. His version was dramatic, and likely caused many to shed a tear, but it was terribly flawed and inaccurate. He was called on it, and the person making the comment straightened out the facts in a beautiful, non-judgmental way. In the end, the pastor apologized, re-wrote his presentation, and continues his efforts to spread American patriotism and love of country using solid facts. Bravo to that pastor and the man who corrected him with kindness.

History evolves as documents are uncovered, archaeologists make new finds, and scientific testing improves. Truth should be what we seek. In the end, the real story will be as compelling as a fable, because it tells the true response of a people in their own day. Holding the line on truth in recording history will become more critical. Parents need to take the lead on this and expose their children to America's past. Don't count on textbooks and teachers to do it all.Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

MO-TAB FLASH MOB AT WILLIAMSBURG

Three of my favorite things combine in one irreplaceable moment--Early American history, Williamsburg, Va, and Motab!

Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

MIDSUMMERS EVE HOP

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Thank you to the "I'M A READER NOT A WRITER" blog for setting up another great hop. This one runs from midnight Monday, June 20, to midnight on Friday, June 24th.

The prize this hop is a reader's choice of any volume from my FREE MEN AND DREAMERS series plus an American Flag!

TO win, do any of the following. Each item adds an additional entry. Each entry MUST be posted separately to be counted.

I'm writing historical pieces for newspapers now to reach new readers, so our entry opportunities include visiting places where I post. Here's how you enter:

1. You must be or become a follower of this blog.

2. Stop by KSL online and peek at my most recent article at http://www.ksl.com/?sid=15870482

3. Link to the above article on Facebook.

4. Link to the above article on Twitter

Thanks! Now visit all these other great blogs!



Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

FOR FATHER'S DAY-Tom's Favorite Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Description:
Can be very mild like Kraft or very sharp depending on what cheese you select. Unless you like a very pungent dish, avoid extremely strong cheeses. We like a mixture of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack. This is a good budget stretcher and it can be prepared ahead of time and frozen.
Ingredients:

2 Tbls. Butter 1 tsp. dry mustard
2 Tbls. Flour 2 c. (8 oz.) elbow macaroni
1 tsp salt ¼ c. buttered bread crumbs
2 ½ c. milk 2 c. (8 oz) shredded cheese
paprika

Directions:
Cook macaroni as directed. Drain. Melt butter. Remove from heat. Blend in flour, salt and mustard. Add milk, heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens a little and is smooth. Add 1 ½ cups cheese, heat until melted, stirring occasionally. In a buttered 2 qt. casserole, combine sauce and macaroni. Top with remaining cheese, bread crumbs, and paprika. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned and bubbly. Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Meals Servings: 8

ENJOY! Happy Father's Day!Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

ON FATHERS

Tomorrow is Father's Day, and I thought I'd post this quote:

"The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage. A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, 'Daddy, I need to ask you something,' he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan." -- Garrison Keillor

That quote is not accurate and applicable in this home. Tom turns to butter when any of his kids lay an arm across his shoulders. Dad was the Good Fairy, and Mom? I was reality, baby! I was the law, Dad was mercy. He loved being mercy and fun. His job took him away from home a good bit of the time, so his arrival meant baseball and cookouts and a long list of repairs to essential things that broke while he was away. He was a hero who could fix anything--a bike, an overdrawn checking account at college, a cell-phone or computer disaster. He still does and he still can. He's our McGyver.

It's hard being a hero with a shrinking following as his fans and admirers grow up and leave home to faraway adventures of their own. But like that old "Cat's in the Cradle" song, his boys are growing up to be a lot like him. And what better tribute is there to Father's Day than that?
In honor of Father's Day tell me something wonderful about your dad or father. Post yout comment below. Ready, set, brag!Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

I recently began submitting articles to a group of related magazines and newspapers. It's a diversion from the work on my manuscript, but an effort to reach new readers. I'm not an utter newbie to reviews and having other people critique and express their opinion about my work, but the news world is a different arena, and freelancers will find themselves requiring more immediate literary first aid.

The article goes online, and minutes later subscribers are letting you know whether or not they agree with your take on a topic. Some are kind. Some comment as if they've been sharpening their claws for just such a moment.

Controversy spurs more readers, as they incite their neighbors to also rail against the writer, so seasoned news-vets welcome the negative comments as well as the positive. But me? Not so much. I'm a novelist with tender, "please love me" skin, and this is a very uncomfortable platform.

I've written a few humorous "lifestyle" pieces, and about four historical articles. I then wrote a slightly controversial article about Hollywood's liberal agenda and that piece had surpassed all the others in total hits. But it also garnered the most comments--about one and half per every thousand readers, most disagreeing with the article's subject's position.

My peers express the same over reading negative reviews. It's our nature. What drives us to create tender characters and compelling story lines comes from our own experiences, our own fears and concerns. In short, WE are in every line we write, and that makes negative reviews sting.

I'd love to survey men and see if a negative review affects them the same way it affects the women. Is it that need to be liked? That personalization of all negative feedback that makes a single person's negative opinion erase all the positive?

When the US Women's Soccer Team won the world title they were asked what made them so successful. One of the players answered, "Our coach. He coached us like men but treated us like women."

When asked to elaborate, her explanation was profound and has remained with me, proving itself to be true over and over. "He coached us like men, pushing us hard, to be our best and to keep improving, but he treated us like women. He understood that if you tell a roomful of men, 'Someone on the team isn't pulling their weight,' the men will likely look at one another and say, "Which one of you isn't pulling your weight," but if you say the same thing to a roomful of women, they will each say to themselves, "He thinks I'm not pulling my weight."

It's incredible, isn't it? Maybe I should write an article about that!

Anyway, sales are up on the books since the historical articles appeared, and though the release date is delayed, we're still hoping for a late summer release on "In God Is Our Trust." Thanks for all the support!

LaurieCopyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

THE MOST BELOVED FLAG OF ALL

My Flag Day article as it appears in Deseret News Online.Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

FLAG DAY HISTORY AND CONTEST

On June 14th, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag with these words:

Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.

Betsy Ross, pictured above, was long attributed with the task of sewing that first national banner. Historians have recently stepped away from tying her to the creation of that banner, saying only that she was a flag maker, and that she may have known General Washington. But the importance of the adoption of the flag remains the focus of national Flag Day ceremonies.

The holiday status of the day is attributed to two school teachers who designed celebrations for their students around the adoption of the Stars and Stripes. In 1885, BJ Cigrand, planned a program for the students of the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6 to mark this patriotic date as "Flag Birthday." Cigrand maintained his observance of the "Flag Day" during the next few years.

Four years later, kindergarten teacher George Baulch also planned a program for students his New York City school. The New York School system adopted the commemoration. Flag Day observances began occurring at the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia and various patriotic groups began holding their own commemorative events.

Though Flag Day was established through an official Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916, the date wasn't set aside as a national holiday until August 3, 1949 when President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th as National Flag Day.

Local areas will be hosting a variety of commemorative events. Baltimore's Fort McHenry, and her Flag House museum, each of which are connected to the beloved Star-Spangled Banner, make spectacular places to enjoy this celebration of the Stars and Stripes. But everyone can participate in the "National Pause for the Pledge." Wherever you are at 7:00 p.m., stop for a moment, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

In honor of Flag Day, I'm giving away a 3x5 foot American flag and a copy of David McCullough's "1776."

Here's how you enter:

1. You must be or become a follower of this blog.

2. Share a personal, patriotic moment in the comment box below.

Thanks! The winner will be drawn June 15th at midnight.Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

MY CLOSET CLEANIN' CONTEST

My closet is bursting with books--sooooo many books. I've selected a few I've read, enjoyed and reviewed, and I'm giving them away in a bundle.

So yes, they're previously read--a bit tattered at the edges, and they cover a multitude of LDS genres--a gripping, historical fiction, an eerie YA fantasy, a sweet historical romance, an inspiring biography, and a darling suspense.

Yes, that's five, used, loved books in all! Interested in getting them?

Let's do something fun for an entry. I'm pretty stressed-out as we finish up Free men and Dreamers, so I could use some easy warm-weather recipes that comfort and come together quickly. Send me a recipe, and I'll enter you in the drawing.

Enter as many times as you want,but you must already be, or become a follower of my blog. That's it. Ready, set, enter!Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)