The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Milan's heroes honored
Church hosts special service for vets
By Brian Cox, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: November 13, 2008
Photos by Brian Cox
Chris Roe takes a photograph of the Truck of Honor parked outside the Milan Free Methodist Church Sunday morning. She plans to e-mail photos of the truck to her son,m Joshua, who is serving at Fort Sill in Oklahoma.
In a chilly Sunday morning drizzle outside the Milan Free Methodist Church on Arkona Road, Chris Roe stood taking photographs of an 18-wheeler painted with vivid, airbrushed murals memorializing the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.
Christened the Truck of Honor, the semi also pays a traveling tribute to those serving in the U.S. military.
Roe plans to send the photographs taken with her cellphone to her son, Joshua, who enlisted in the Army two months ago and is stationed at Fort Sills in Oklahoma.
"It's a phenomenal expression that we haven't forgotten, and that we shouldn't," Roe said.
The Truck of Honor was on hand as part of the church's Heroes Sunday service. The service was dedicated to recognizing, honoring and thanking veterans, as well as active military personnel and members of police, fire and emergency response agencies. Invitations to the service were sent to members of the Milan posts of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign War, the Milan Area Fire Department and the Milan Police Department.
Michelle Kreger, a member of the outreach team that organized the special service, said the idea had been bounced around the committee for quite a while before they selected Nov. 8 for the date.
"It seemed appropriate with this being an election year and Veteran's Day being Tuesday," she said.
In addition to the outreach team members, some 20 volunteers came together to make the service happen.
For the reception following the service, Lisa Elka made a cake decorated with the insignia of the Milan police and fire departments, and reading: "We Thank You."
Barton Hodges designed and created an unique pump system for the punch, erecting around it a "Heroes' Hut" featuring mementoes and paraphernalia such as posters and plaques provided to him by area recruiting offices and the fire department, which also loaned Hodges a 200-pound rescue dummy named "Buster."
"He's pretty heavy," Hodges said. "We had a terrible time getting him into the trunk of my car."
Prior to the reception, the worship ceremony focused on honoring the dozens of veterans in attendance.
"We thank God for those who put their lives on the line for our safety and our freedom," said the Rev. Jeff Ford, pastor of the church.
Guest pastor the Rev. Gordon Moore, a veteran who saw combat in Vietnam, delivered a sermon on heroism and service.
Brian Cox is a freelance writer. He can be reached at bcox1001@gmail.com.
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