Apr 17, 2003 By Patty Shultz 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Waving flags, singing “God Bless America” and speaking words of appreciation, students and faculty at Connellsville Area High School held a patriotic ceremony Wednesday to pay tribute to those on the battlefield. Representatives of the military and the school district, as well as government officials, honored the commitment and sacrifice of military personnel serving in Iraq and throughout the world, and recognized soldiers’ families.

“The first battle of this war did not take place a few short weeks ago. It started 19 months ago on our own shores,” said state Sen. Richard Kasunic. “It started in New York, Washington, D.C., and over the skies in Shanksville, Somerset County.”

Kasunic said the role of the nation, as the protector for the world, requires putting soldiers in harm’s way to bring peace to those countries that have known only dictatorship and tyranny.

“We had no alternative but to go to war,” he said. “Our mission in Iraq is to offer them the same freedom we have enjoyed for over 200 years.”

The program also included the recognition of the nearly 100 former students and family members of district employees on active duty.

Marine Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ronald Polidora, a 1988 Connellsville graduate, joined the military shortly after graduation. His mother, Susan Shoenberger, attended the program and cried when his name was featured during a Microsoft Powerpoint presentation.

“He won’t tell me where he is at or with what unit he is attached to so I won’t watch for information about him on television,” said Shoenberger. “It’s been rough.”

Polidora was deployed Feb. 8, and although Shoenberger and her son share frequent e-mails, she still worries for his safety.

The Wednesday program, however, fortified her courage and strength.

“It was a great program,” she said. “The students and Mrs. (Linda) Shearer are awesome.”

Shearer, a senior high English and public speaking teacher, challenged her students to do something positive and meaningful the day war broke out in Iraq.

The challenge, said student Renee Durst, prompted a three-week campaign to collect needed toiletry and food items to send to the military forces in the Persian Gulf region.

According to Durst, 500 care packages were assembled through donations from a variety of businesses, civic organizations, churches and school groups.

Through a $1,400 monetary donation from the Connellsville Elks, the boxes will be shipped to Virginia and then transported overseas.

Libby Ross, whose nephew Army Pvt. Sam Ross is serving on the Iraqi battlefield, helped with the collection process at the Dunbar Borough Elementary School.

“It’s amazing what a very little community can do,” she said.

National Guard Lt. Tommy Guthrie said the boxes of goodies, coupled with letters, e-mails and photographs from home, help servicemen maintain their morale when away from their families.

“It motivates everyone of us,” he said.

Guthrie, along with others from the Connellsville-based unit, recently returned from a six-month tour of duty in Germany and Italy, where they provided security force protection at U.S. military bases and as part of a multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia.

High school principal Robert McLuckey encouraged those assembled to continue to support the U.S.-led military coalition as they free Iraq and keep America safe.

“We owe them a debt of gratitude,” he said.

Also taking part in the program were Naval Master at Arms Chief (SW) Ken Durst and retired Naval Master Chief Ron Shroyer.