The Veterans at the Library held their weekly meeting Monday morning, March 16, at 9 a.m. at Franklin Memorial Library. With Chair Johnny Tapley presiding, they had 30 in attendance. The Beta Sigma Phi furnished a great breakfast of egg and ham casserole and assorted muffins and the food was outstanding. Librarian Shari Watt furnished orange juice, grape juice, cranberry juice and coffee. Chair Johnny talked about the upcoming Veterans Cup Golf Tournament and the selling of the "hole" sponsorships. After some discussion about the tournament, Chair Johnny mentioned the St. Patrick's Day celebration on Tuesday, March 17, an Irish day of celebration from the 5th Century. Chair Johnny purchased several ‘green" items for the Veterans to have their photo taken. He then talked about the six U.S. Air Force members that were killed in their KC-135 crash in Iraq last week: Major John A. Kline, Captain Ariana G. Saving, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Captain Seth R. Koval, Captain Curtis J. Angst and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons. That makes 40 service members that the Veterans are flying a U.S. Flag on the front fence at the Veterans and 1st Responders Memorial Park at the corner of U.S. Hwy 80 and Georgia Hwy 57. They also added two new 250th Anniversary flags on poles at the Veterans Park entrance last week. The Veterans 8'X12' U.S. Flag will fly at "half-staff" on its 40' flagpole for a few days in honor of the six service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
