City/intermediate school team up to honor veterans

Veterans, uniformed professionals, and teachers were recognized for the services they render to the community, November 10, in a city/school district combo event held at the new Holly Springs Intermediate School.

Although the speeches and accolades went mostly to the adults, the children of Holly Springs Intermediate School were the champions as well. The Best Men/Best Friends Club played a large role in the entertainment with Taylor Bentley reading the welcome, with Aziah Wright singing a number, with Kennedi Terry giving a poetry reading, and with dozens of the students serving as escorts and helping with service during breakfast.

In an unexpected performance, police chief Dwight Harris sang “Amazing Grace.”

Veteran Quentell Gipson, introduced by his daughter Sharon, recounted his experiences in the Army in Germany. He served in 1953, after leaving a good railroad job, he said. The upshot of his story was that Gipson got a good tour of Germany and learned how that country does not waste anything.

“We throw too much away,” he said. “The Germans use everything.”

“We are the best country in the world,” he said. “No matter where you go, how you get there, America is the best country in the world.”

Mayor Kelvin Buck echoed Gipson’s remarks about those serving in the military having a great experience traveling and learning about the world and coming to know “where our nation fits in.”

He said every branch of service proudly wears its unique uniform.

“The uniforms have a significant meaning to every person who serves in the military,” he said. “Part of the honor and privilege is the honor of wearing the uniform.”

The badges and medals each person attaches to the uniform are earned.

“Those medals came with much sacrifice and dedication - all that have a significant meaning to each person,” he said.

“Those medals mean very much to them.”

Buck included firemen and police officers  – “those who go in when everybody else is going out, those who put their lives on the line so we can be safe.”

He also thanked the teachers.

Tasked with saying the blessing, former Holly Springs Mayor Andre’ DeBerry said there are over 2,000 veterans in Marshall County.

“Sometimes they are lonely and outcast,” he said. “They have been exposed. They have something to say, not only in war, but in peace.”

Those veterans present included Harvey Payne, Marc Scales, Randy Shipp, Richard Cash, Edwin Burton, Lincoln Martin, Lawrence Autry, Sylvester Martin, Dan Quick, Gipson, Larry Miller, Richard Giel, Dale DeBerry, Susie Brown (intermediate school principal), Terrance Brown, Joey Mitchell and Buck.

“You can tell about a country by the way it treats its vets,” Brown said.