I attended a Memorial Day service at a local cemetery a few years ago. I was taking photos when an elderly man walked over to me and asked who I was. I told him my name and what I was doing, and he thanked me immensely for providing coverage of the event and the local veterans. I could see from the focus in his eyes and in the firmness of his handshake that he truly meant it.

Our discussion then steered toward the status of veterans’ organizations in Iowa communities and the struggle to attract members, especially younger ones.

As most of you who are involved in community groups know, that struggle isn’t unique to veterans’ organizations. Time is the greatest commodity for most of us, and we guard it closely. In this regard, veterans are no different than the rest of us. What I heard from my conversation was that the desire to have these young veterans be part of the organizations is as much about helping the older folks as it is the younger ones. We all need each other — young and old — to share our stories and better understand our differences. Veterans do, too.

I recall going into the VFW Hall in my hometown as a child and seeing photos of my father and my uncle on the wall as past commanders. I was certainly proud of them both for serving our country, and that respect deepened when I saw how they served their fellow veterans, too.

That day at the cemetery made me think about veterans’ organizations and what we could do to help. The first step is to do something we should be doing every day, and that is to sincerely thank our veterans for their service with the same gratitude that the elderly man gave me. And from the barrel of ink that I am sitting on, we need to do more to share the stories of our veterans and to help their organizations prosper.

With that in mind, we are publishing a series of stories on local veterans’ organizations and sharing how you — whether you are a veteran or not — can help, too. Check out the released ones now at www.iowalivingmagazines.com and look for a few more to come shortly.

I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I have, and that you take the time today — and every day — to thank a veteran.

Have a fantastic Friday, and thanks for reading.

President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305

Your Clear Mortgage forecast from Jason Parkin

It’ll be a chilly and breezy Veterans Day, and the cold continues into the weekend. We could see a few flurries Monday, with better chances for light rain or snow Tuesday and Wednesday.

For help with preapprovals or refinancing, get in touch with Jason at parkin.mortgage

Best Of Des Moines 2023

POLLS CLOSE NOVEMBER 14

VOTE NOW FOR 2023!

Meet Amy Moorman
For kindergarten class, learning can also be play.

By T.K. West

Amy Moorman moved from Illinois to Iowa at the age of 3 after her father took a job in Centerville. She relocated to the Altoona area for her husband’s business. Moorman first worked as an in-house substitute teacher at Four Mile Elementary School from January 2022 through the end of last school year before accepting a permanent classroom position as a kindergarten teacher.

“What I like best about working for the Southeast Polk School District is how organized, friendly and helpful the district is with anything that is needed,” Moorman says. “The staff at the district office, as well as any elementary school in the district that I have been able to come in contact with, have been over-the-top friendly and helpful. The district has welcomed me with open arms, and it feels like a family here.”

... Read More In the October issue of Altoona Living magazine.

Happy Birthday Tyler Nash today and Kathy Summy Sunday!

Happy Birthday to these celebrities: Leonardo DiCaprio, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Calista Flockhart, Trey Smith, Victor Cruz, Frankie Shaw

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

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