Top Stories for Friday May 24, 2013

Looking At Memorial Day Through The Eyes Of Our Veterans
By Cookie Steponaitis
On Memorial Day a grateful nation pauses to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in order that this nation might live. President Lincoln reflected long ago at Gettysburg that, “it is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.” However, when the flags return to flying high on the poles and life returns to its normal patterns, how does each American reflect on the freedoms so nonchalantly taken for granted by millions each day? The answer is sadly that many do not and just travel through life with little thought to how we got here and to whom we owe thanks. Looking at Memorial Day through the eyes and words of our veterans is a different way to approach this national holiday and one that causes all of us to pause, reflect and comprehend that freedom is not free and it comes with responsibilities.
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Meet Gerald Heffernan Life Member of American Legion Post #19 Bristol
By Cookie Steponaitis
Gerald Heffernan enlisted in the U.S. Navy on June 28, 1945 shortly after graduating from Bristol High School. Gerald was in boot camp when the war officially ended and was sent to radar training in Point Loma, California and later to Japan in December 1945 where he served as part of the occupation that took him to the islands of  Japan and Korea and China.
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Author Brings Porter Health And Rehab Center National Recognition
By Mike Cameron
Making Helen Porter Health and Rehabilitation Center more “home-like”, for its residents, has been and continues to be the primary goal of Executive Director, Neil Gruber and his staff. Always the innovator, Gruber is constantly searching for creative, outside-the-box strategies that will help make the people who live at Porter more comfortable and empowered to lead more fulfilling lives every day.
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A Day to Remember: Sharing Memorial Day Reflections With Ron Browe
By Cookie Steponaitis
When Veterans of Foreign Wars member Ron Browe speaks of Memorial Day there is a quiet determination in his voice and a solemn tone in addition to his choice of words. Both Ron’s grandfather and father served his county as well as four uncles in World War II. Ron joined himself because the nation was at the time drafting soldiers and he wanted a say in which branch he went in. Serving his nation from 1972-1976 in Asia and Guam.  [ more ]