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Show So many "tingles" and "goose-flesh" moments were coming to us that we all felt we were walking miles above the actual ground. Our State Officers wrote and told us they would be in attendance and would speak as we had asked. Our National Civic Participation Chairman, Marge McKemy sent us a beautiful letter and asked for copies of the winning essays. We had "tingle" telephone calls when our Armed Forces Personnel assured us they would be there in uniform as would an R.O.T.C. representative from Fish and pur high school, Scout Leaders and Scouts, Game and Forest Service Personnel, high school Principals and teachers and Medical and Nursing representatives. Our newspapers and radio people were going to be present for pictures and stories. Our own beloved members working at every task they could think of throughout, to help, all planned on coming with the exception of those who would be away and could not. Many of our other Civic Leaders called and told us they too would be there. Plans began falling into place beautifully. We coaxed a lovely spruce tree or two to donate their branches The branches for our and tips for the occasion. we wished for for the and corsages tiny tips stage, our speakers. We made these by combining the tips with little iridescent pheasant feathers and tied with golden braid. Each part was symbolic. The green The and gold colors are of course BPW colors. The tree. state tree is our pheasant feathers spruce are a part of the out-of-doors and the gold braid is military and patriotic. So many "special" events were happening to me this particular time of my life for all the while we worked and had fun getting our Program in order I was, in a way, working for the Navy. Our Naval Re serve Son's navy blues and whites had arrived and I busy hemming trousers and sewing on stripes. It was a good feeling. I was grateful I felt no sad ness but rather pride in the knowledge that he would be going forth toward many adventures as soon as he received his Bachelor's Degree in June. was things do; our evening was almost upon us. We hurried that morning; since it was voting day, to be one of the first at the polls and then, feeling good we .raced home to put all of our treasures in one place for easy loading and spent the rest of the day checking and rechecking items yet to be done. As all The new hour brought a new adventure. doorbell rang at noon and our florist friend Marion stood with arms loaded with beautiful fragrant gold en and bronze chrysanthemums and lovely contain ers for our stage. She also brought two red carna tion corsages tied with gold which I had ordered as a little personal thank you token to my two extra right hands, Willie and Lynn. I meant to surprise them and present them on stage. Every Four o'clock came and again the doorbell rang. This time I had a surprise, for our friend Marcia had sent a glorious white orchid to me. It seemed that all of us felt such an urge to give that day and truly we knew the pation. meaning, over and over of Civic Partici- Five o'clock we all dashed for the Armory, and flew about with hammer and tacks and evergreen boughs and flowers. Bulletin boards with news clippings and letters from our State Officers and National were put up for all to see and share; a signing in table was arranged with linen cloth, brass scales of justice filled with evergreen tips and a lovely, leather guest book, another donation, placed upon it. We had but one bit of apprehension and this was that our one winner, Jim, might not get there. When we had called to notify his teacher that he was one of the six finalists we had been told he was at our State Hospital. At first it seemed unlikely that he might be able to attend but then his Counselor was able to secure permission, for we all felt it would be an event in his life that might mean a turning point for him. Then, magically, all was ready. Parents and their happy sons and daughters began arriving. Some brought grandparents and school chums, too. You / could "feel" the excitement. Four handsome Explorer Scouts arrived in spic and moved out span uniforms and armed with flashlights to the parking lots to direct traffic. Six darling little Girl Scouts and their pretty Leader arrived, uniforms fresh and spotless, white gloves gleaming; bringing little metal flags to be presented to the visitors, along with Flag Etiquette brochures which had been given to us by the Navy. They would act then as usherettes for us. As we greeted guests we were all watching for Jim. Then, there he and his teacher were. He was a nice looking lad of sixteen and when he was introduced to me he gripped my hand and looked me straight in the eye and I liked him for this. I had talked with his Dad and had been assured that he would be there to share the moment with his son, and then, as Marcia and Jim and his Youth home teacher chose a room to review his essay, we began watching for the Dad. He wasn't long in com ing and when he came through the door and waited a moment before he went to the table to sign in, I moved toward him and asked if he was one of our winner's parents. He said "yes, Jim's." We talked about his son for a moment and then I took him to the three of them. It was nice watching the look on Jim's face when he saw his Dad and nicer still to see that Dad put his arm around his son's shoulders. I left them then. I later learned from Willie that Jim had mentioned to Marcia that he did not speak too well and we will never forget Marcia's reply to him. It was, simply, "neither did Abe Lincoln, and he became President." Next thing we knew it was time to place our .speak ers on the stage and our Program had begun. It was then that Willie welcomed all, heard our Club Collect, introduced her Civic Participation Chairman and I in turn introduced our Col. LeRoy Walker and f f til of oU ije n wi e W af fr |
