Category: Veterans

Chapel Hill Columbian Squires – A Quest completed at Bedford, VA

And now the Squires’ journey begins… It’s June 6th and the 67th anniversary of D-Day. The sun is coming up and it is 6 a.m.  Squires have been up for awhile and they are eagerly heading for St. Thomas More Church  to join other squires.    A steady stream of cars carrying veterans, seven students, counselors […]

And now the Squires’ journey begins…
It’s June 6th and the 67th anniversary of D-Day. The sun is coming up and it is 6 a.m.  Squires have been up for awhile and they are eagerly heading for St. Thomas More Church  to join other squires.   
A steady stream of cars carrying veterans, seven students, counselors and teachers from Chapel Hill and Carrboro started loading and departing town.  They have started their three-hour journey to Bedford, Virginia, and a veterans memorial nestled on a hillside.
Included in the travelers are local World War II veterans Jerry Pilarski, 82nd Airborne, Gene Drogos, U.S. Navy air crewman, and Louise Drogos, U.S. Navy Nurse Corps.
They were about to join others from many neighboring states heading to the National D-Day Memorial and the home of the Bedford Boys. 
Their mission is to deliver $1,500 raised by the youth of St. Thomas More Catholic Church. These kids were inspired by one of their members who had visited the memorial on an earlier Chapel Hill High School field trip. Garcian D’Cruz, a 10th grade student, was moved by the memorial and the World War II veterans he met. He was also saddened when he learned of their financial plight. He told his story to other members of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle 5485 of the Columbian Squires.
The kids decided to honor all veterans by raising money for the memorial. They purchased potted plants for resale to members of their church and used money from their other projects. Others donated cash. They raised $1,500.
The National D-Day Memorial Foundation was moved by the Squires’ generosity and patriotism and invited them to participate in the 10th Anniversary ceremony for the memorial. Garcian and Mr. Tom Stanfa, Chapel Hill High School 10th grade teacher, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with D-Day survivors, a congressman, civic leaders and a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient “Woody” Williams, as special guests and speakers.
Garcian told his story to a crowd of over a thousand participants and spectators.  It was a story of local kids making a difference and their efforts to help keep the memorial funded.  Their mission was to help preserve the World War II veterans’ legacy by “keeping their legacy living.”  His remarks moved the audience. His speech served as the inspiring lead-in to a request for audience participation with a donation.  Watch, listen, and be proud.
The National D-Day Memorial is ten years old and was dedicated by then President George W. Bush. It has been hit hard by our current economic situation and is fighting to raise money to keep its doors open.
The last surviving member of the Bedford Boys died in 2009 at the age of 94.  He was Ray Nance. 
Photos by Lee Heavlin

An Awesome Day for the Squires

The Squires, members of Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle 5485, produced some awesome results this weekend with the fundraiser for the Memorial.  They started with 160 plants.  The goal was to sell 200, but only 160 would fit in Jim Orbich’s truck when the plants were purchased.  By the end of the 9:15 Mass, only 10 plants were left as […]

The Squires, members of Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle 5485, produced some awesome results this weekend with the fundraiser for the Memorial.  They started with 160 plants.  The goal was to sell 200, but only 160 would fit in Jim Orbich’s truck when the plants were purchased.  By the end of the 9:15 Mass, only 10 plants were left as all of the others were sold.


Plant sales produced $800.00 minus the $340.00 which was the wholesale price paid to purchase the plants.  $460.00 profit from the plant sales. An additional $375.25 was raised from parish donations the Squire’s National D-Day Memorial fundraiser.  The council also contributed an additional $100.
  
The project goal is $2,000 and they are well on their way to making it before D-Day commemoration ceremonies in Bedford, VA.


A huge thanks goes to Tom Stanfa, a Chapel Hill High School teacher.  He was on hand all morning showing a video of the Memorial and the D-Day landing site that he produced along with students from his school as part of at special project they are working on.


June 6th will be here before we know it so make plans to attend the ceremony.  We will have a Squires meeting on Sunday, May 22nd to finalize the trip and work through the final details.  Watch for the meeting time here.


Thanks for all of your hard work!

Squires Raise Money for National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA

Dario Sena with squires Nick Clemmons and Garcian D’Cruz are working on a Squires project to raise funds for the National D-Day Memorial located 120 miles north of Chapel Hill. The squires are going to raise money by selling plants after each mass the weekend of 14-15 May.  They will also work with the Knights […]

Dario Sena with squires

Nick Clemmons and Garcian D’Cruz are working on a Squires project to raise funds for the National D-Day Memorial located 120 miles north of Chapel Hill.

The squires are going to raise money by selling plants after each mass the weekend of 14-15 May.  They will also work with the Knights to collect donations after the  masses, too.

Did you know that St. Thomas More Church members generously donated about $4,900 on Veterans Day last year for active duty amputees who were hospitalized over the Christmas holiday period?  The squires are hoping that this project will draw similar support.

The plan is to travel to the memorial and participate as invited guests on the June 6th commemoration ceremonies.  Their presentation will be during the ceremony.

When Squire Garcian was asked, “Why?”, he told a story of a recent visit and seeing that it needed help financially.  D-Day also just happens to be remembered on its anniversary, June 6th, which is also his birthday.  Garcian said, “They are having a tough time raising funds.  The soldiers died for us on that day.  Without that day (Operation Overlord and invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944), we would be speaking a different language today.”

Garcian may be right.  Many of today’s citizens cannot comprehend what went on during their grandfather’s or even great-grandfather’s time.  Our country mobilized for war and many never returned home. That is why this memorial is in Bedford, Virginia.  Bedford lost two thirds of the men it sent to war.  The museum is now struggling to survive.  It’s location near Lynchburg, VA, puts it off the main tourist paths.  If you have not visited it, it is a good day trip for the family.  Maybe your and your children will be moved as much as Gracian.  Learn more about the National D-Day Memorial

Our squires are an exciting and energetic group.  They have become a vital part of our local council by helping  the Knights at special events and with the Pancake Breakfast.  They are trained to cook and serve food, but, more importantly, they are learning responsibility and gain a spirit of giving back to the community.  And, as seen by this current project, their reach is not limited to Chapel Hill.

The squires are also looking to connect with any parishioner who has served during World War II.  Efforts are now underway to reach out to the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion members who served during World War II.  There are quite a  few of them right here in Chapel Hill.  Within the Knights we are honored to have Jerry Pilarski and Gene Drogos, among others.

Want to make a donation to this project?  Contact the Squires.

The Squires are a religious youth group of catholic young men and can be compared to the Boy Scouts.  They are self-governing circle and are guided by counselors from the local Knights of Columbus Council, 10910.