Veteran Column: G.I. Joe's Celebrating MLK Day
The morning air was cold, but the G.I. Joe’s Veteran’s Museum was warm, filled with murmur of stories shared. The museum was usually loud in the mornings due to veterans sharing stories and jokes, but on Monday morning, it got very quiet. Our energetic eighth grade mascot “Brie Rouse walked into the museum. Brie came to the museum to celebrate MLK Day not with fanfare, but with service reading to the veterans and a few of their wives.
Sitting down facing a table of retired soldiers, Brie picked up a book and started reading aloud. She didn't read loudly like she was cheering at a basketball game. Brie read calmly, sharing the story of hope and courage, bridging the gap between generations, bringing the spirit of MLK Day of service to life.
She didn't have to spend her day off reading to veterans. She could have slept in or hung out with friends. But Brie understood that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a "day on, not a day off."
Brie didn't just represent herself that day; she represented the best of all of us. She brought the spirit of service, honoring those who served our country by serving them with her time.
Thank you, Brie, for being more than just a mascot to us veterans, but for being a leader with a big heart who chose to honor our veterans with your time and care. You are truly a hero in our community.
Eddie Portz
Veteran’s Ambassador
G.I. Joes Living History Museum
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