Pierceton Elementary Students Hear from Servicemen
Posted
Staff Report-
PIERCETON – Students at Pierceton Elementary School were honored to have Chad Collier and Lew Collier speak at their Veterans Day Program Nov. 11. The Colliers come from a long line of service men. Valda Collier’s first encounter with the military world came when her brother, Lindy Fruit, went to serve in World War II. Her husband, Charles also served in WWII in the Philippines. Then their oldest son, Jim, served in Germany for two years and their second son, Lew, served for a total of 26-1/2 years, with 1-1/2 years of that being a chopper pilot in the Vietnam War. Her grandson, Chad Collier, is still serving with 20 years of service in. He was on the USS Connolly and traveled five of the seven continents. Another grandson, TeJay, served for five years with a tour in Korea. The Collier’s son-in-law, Harold, served one year in the Army in Vietnam and then moved to the Air Guard for a total of 38 years. Bob Collier, a nephew, served a total of two years with one of those being in Vietnam also. The grand total for the Collier men is 100 years. Valda Collier, like many other moms, grandmothers, wives, aunts, sisters and loved ones, spent many hours in prayer for these soldiers and many more that she knew as friends. The Pierceton American Legion Color Guard presented the colors and played taps for the ceremony. Chad Collier spoke to the kindergarten, first- and second-grade students about doing what is right, teamwork and the courage to stand up for what is right. Students asked questions like, “Why does the Navy go so far away from America?” and “Were you ever scared?” The students asking questions received coins from Collier from the countries he had been to. Lew Collier spoke to the third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students about never forgetting the sacrifices that the men and women of the military make to serve their country, how they miss Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays with their families and worst of all, the soldiers who didn’t return home. He gave statistics of how many people were prisoners of war or are still missing in action. The student council presented the story of the “Little White Table,” which is about the soldiers who don’t return. Students in the fourth grade had written to area veterans early this month and thanked them for their service as well as inviting them to attend the program. Approximately 30 veterans attended. Some of the veterans were able to meet the students that had sent them a letter and brought them a token as a reminder of their service. During the talk Lew Collier gave, he told the students during his school years at Pierceton, his teachers gave him good advice and a good education. He, along with his parents, seven brothers and sisters and many grandchildren and great grandchildren in the family, have and are still attending Pierceton Elementary, and at one time Pierceton High School. His parents are graduates of the 1940 class.
