Veterans in our midst

To too many of us, Veterans Day is just another day off from school or from work. Or a day when our trash isn’t picked up or our mail isn’t delivered. Far too many of us give little thought to the sacrifices made by the men and women who have served in the armed forces, especially those who served abroad during times of conflict. The families of those veterans who didn’t come home or that came home with visible or invisible scars made sacrifices that often went unnoticed as well.

So, if many of us do not grasp the importance of our veterans’ contributions to our country, how can we effectively pass the story along to our children? How can we help them understand the true cost to the individual yet see how their collective dedication and selflessness has ensured our country’s survival?

Glen Grundei, now a retired teacher from Winton Woods City Schools, saw the need to teach his students more about World War II than the few paragraphs included in their history textbook. He wanted them to know more than some dates and names and locations. He wanted them to know something about the human side of the war. He wanted them to hear the stories, see the faces, and read the letters. So he built the Hall of Heroes in Winton Woods Primary North School .

While still teaching at Winton Woods Primary North, Mr. Grundei began collecting donations of artifacts from World War II veterans to become part of a permanent exhibit that could be used to help his students better understand the global conflict by learning more about the individuals who experienced it. Even after his retirement a few years ago, Mr. Grundei continued to maintain and connect the precious collection of personal items in the Hall of Heroes with students at Winton Woods Primary North and the larger community beyond.

You can visit the Hall of Heroes virtually (http://www.cetconnect.org/Education/Education.aspx) to see and learn more about the many veterans who have shared a bit of themselves and their story so that future generations would better understand our history.

Thank You!

- Diane