Last call for you to submit a story about your “hero” who has served in the United States military.
The Slidell Independent will publish “Remembering Our Heroes,” as our Memorial Day special section on Thursday, May 24. That means you’ve got to submit your story and picture to us no later than this weekend so we can put it all together on Monday and Tuesday.
We’ve gotten some great submissions, like the story from Wanda Sanders about her dad, an Army man in 1944 being in charge of leading 14 draftees from Centerville, Tenn. to basic training in Georgia. She tells the story of the 14 young men following her dad around everywhere they went, besides the more serious story she tells about his days at war.
Or the story about a dad answering the call for World War II and later writing a book about it for his family.
We’ve got more, but I want as many stories as possible from our Slidell families about their loved ones, and I hope more of you will take the time to write the e-mail so we can hear your story.
I must say that for over 30 years in the newspaper business, there is still something I’m trying to figure out.
It seems that anytime I ask the public to send in submissions about a particular topic—stories about your dad, your mom, your hero from war—it is difficult to get as many submissions as I would like. I’m wondering if people are really so busy they would not make the time to honor a special person, or what is it? Not really sure, but I certainly hope a lot of our readers will send in their story.
The section is already going to be a good one, but I want it to be a great one that pays tribute to many Slidell servicemen and servicewomen, so please take the time to write me—the deadline is almost here.
Please make sure you e-mail me with your story and pictures by this weekend. (See my e-mail at the end of this column). And also, if your loved one served years ago, please send a “then” and “now” picture. If you don’t have access to a computer, we will even take them by “snail mail” so you can send it to The Slidell Independent, P.O. Box 3130, Slidell, La., 70459, but once again, the deadline is almost here.
So many of the stories we already have are heartwarming and fantastic. Hope you do something special for your “hero” and submit your story.
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Got a note in the mail about my good friend Wilbert Williams, a brilliant actor from Slidell, who is playing a key role in an August Wilson written play, “King Hedley II,” that is now being performed at the Ensemble Theatre in Houston.
Wilbert has started his own theater company in Slidell and performed a couple of August Wilson plays, one that my wife and I went to see, but now he is getting an opportunity to be an actor again in Houston where the Wilson play is being performed.
I know Wilbert is good, but I know it might be asking a lot for you to jump in the car and zip to Houston to see him (not that Wilbert isn’t worth it!) But if you do find yourself there from May 5 to June 3, that is the time frame for the play to be on stage. Stop by and see him. I promise you it will be worth your time.
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There is a fantastic special event being held in Slidell on Friday, May 25 when “Ayden’s Foundation of Hope” will host the first annual auction and benefit dinner, held in remembrance of young boy, Ayden, who passed away one year ago in Slidell due to an accidental drowning.
Ayden is the grandson of Community Baptist Church Pastor Mike Harrigan, and the family decided to put on two fundraising events for his Foundation, in remembrance of the little boy.
The auction and dinner will be the first event and then there will be a charity bass tournament on Saturday, May 26.
The Friday auction and dinner will be held at Northshore Church, located at 310 Kensington Blvd., next to the Rouse’s on Gause Boulevard.
The dinner is $8 per adult, $4 for children 10 and under and begins at 6 p.m. There will be great food, lots of fantastic auction items and many handpainted wood signs, handmade aprons, baby items and more.
The fishing tournament will be held on Saturday at the East Pearl River Hwy. 90 boat launch, starting at daylight and running until 3 p.m.
There is a guaranteed $2,000 first place prize. Cost is $100 per boat and there will be over $4,000 in prizes paid out.
For advance tickets to the auction and dinner, call 601-832-9174, and to sign up for the bass tournament, call Lee Hillman at 774-3121 or Darryl Phillips at 601-832-9175. You can also sign up for the tournament the morning the event starts.
Ayden’s Foundation of Hope is a great way Pastor Mike’s grandson will forever be remembered and I hope you will help the church group by supporting these events.
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I see Slidell Memorial is offering its “Safe Sitter” classes again this summer, and it’s a really great thing for young babysitters to get valuable experience and information to be well trained if they are going to look after little ones.
The class is being sponsored by the SMH Parenting Center and offers a national medically-accurate program that teaches young adolescents how to handle emergencies when caring for younger children. The class is mainly aimed at girls and boys, ages 11 to 13.
The two-day course will be taught on June 19-20, and again on July 12-13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the SMH Wellness Pavilion at 501 Robert Blvd.
Cost for the class is $75. You can register by calling Sheryl Pederson at 649-8529.
Kevin Chiri can be reached by e-mail at kevinchiri@gmail.com.
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