• Wildomar Schools Visit Murrieta Field of Honor

Murrieta's Rotary Club put on a spectacular display for Veteran's week at Town Center park. Wildomar's elementary schools had a chance to take the hour long tour, which consisted of seven stations.

A large assembly of Wildomar youth at Murrieta's Town Square Park.

Wildomar's Rotary Club was asked if they'd like to assist at the event, and as a new member I was happy to volunteer. 

There were seven groups (usually consisting of about 2 classes) and I was assigned to group 1, which was from Donald Graham Elementary. The kids were delightful as were the teachers, parents and the principal, Laura Konecni.

My job was to be an extra set of eyes, and to make sure no one wandered off during the approximate 90 minute trek around the park. 

It was a shotgun start (to use a golf term) where the seven groups each headed to one of the seven exhibits. At each spot the kids would listen to some background on the display and then were given a short assignment.

Sometimes drawing, other times writing information, thoughts or feelings based on what they'd seen or heard.

The stations included

• Veterans Memorial Walls
• California Medal of Honor Recipients (total of 66)
• Chalk Art Sidewalk
• Flag History (27 official American flags)
• State Flags 
• Local Heroes (120 fallen servicemen from Riverside and San Bernardino counties since 2003)
• Veterans Memorial Obelisk

Check out the brief video that tries to capture the essence of an elementary school tour of the Murrieta Field of Honor.

Since each group started at a different station, in the video I put together I numbered them based on when Group 1 was at them.

(here's an alternate video link if you can't see the video below)

A special treat, at least for the adults present, was listening to a veteran that had been on Iwo Jima during the same time period that the iconic photo of raising the flag was taken. 

This man is living history and though I was eager to shake his hand and thank him for his service, I was too taken aback to ask his name. 

If you can't see the video below, try this link instead.

This display will be up through Saturday November 12th. It's worth the effort to go and see.

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Memory, the ability to recall. For some, it is total. For others, a patchwork of light and fade. We can't always remember the things we want to. The things we'd like to forget, we so very often can't. The most unpleasant, we lock in some secret room of the mind. Hoping to close them away forever. Till some chance key unlocks the door, and let's the skeleton of remembrance loose to rattle its bones and haunt us again. 
― EG Marshall (CBSRMT 1981), 1914-1998

Wildomar Rap can't imagine the types of haunting memories that our veterans have locked away, yet continue on everyday. Thank you for your service.