Junior Ranger earns 94th badge
Ten-year-old David Willis cut quite an impressive figure Saturday at Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Farmington as he took in the Braddock commemoration wearing his shirt filled with 93 Junior Ranger badges. “This is his 94th,’ said David’s mother, Sharla Willis, about their visit to Fort Necessity.
The two have been traveling around the country with Sharla’s parents, Mike and Linda Willis, in a motor home for the past three years, visiting about 150 national parks and allowing David to participate in the Junior Ranger program when it’s offered.
The program is an opportunity for youths to learn more about the national parks.
“This is something my parents have always wanted to do,’ said Sharla Willis. “I was a professor at Ohio State University and realized I never got to see my son, so I’m taking a few years off to do this.’
David earned his first Junior Ranger badge when he was seven at Shenandoah National Park.
The Willises have been to such famous parks as Gettysburg, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Ford Theater.
But they’ve enjoyed smaller parks such as Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota, one of the world’s largest caves, and Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site in Baltimore, dedicated to the famous writer.
The Willises are now touring parks in western Pennsylvania and plan to be at Friendship Hill National Historic Site in Springhill Township today before heading south to West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina.
“I didn’t know about Flight 93 and I’d like to go again, but it’s sad,’ David said of the Somerset County national park that commemorates the American heroes who lost their lives in a plane crash as they attempted to take the plane back from terrorists on Sept. 11.
People have been impressed with David, who was able to tour the Washington Monument even though his family arrived too late to get tickets the day of their visit. He was also taken up to the third floor at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, not even his mother and grandparents were allowed to go.
Said David, “It’s amazing to see the historical parts of our country.’
The Willises are among the many visitors expected to tour Fort Necessity this weekend during the Braddock commemoration.
Ranger Tom Markwardt said, “We’re planning for 500 to 800 visitors each day and we’re pretty much on target, even with the rain.’
Light rain struck the area on and off Saturday, but all events went on as scheduled, attracting visitors such as John Franolich of Munhall, near Pittsburgh, and his daughter, Rebekah, 9, and Paul, 6.
Paul called the artillery demonstration, “Cool!’ and Rebekah said, “I think it was interesting to see how they did it.’
Franolich noted the family toured all the forts in western Pennsylvania last year: “There’s a lot of history in western Pennsylvania. It’s nice for the kids.’
And nice for the living history demonstrators, who enjoy answering questions from the visitors.
“That’s the best part. The children have great questions. They ask questions their parents won’t ask,’ said Dan Umstead of the Living History Department of the Oneida Nation of New York.
Other members of the Oneida Nation agreed.
Bob Jones, who loads the artillery, commented, “The best part of it is when people ask questions.’
Jones was taking a break Saturday between artillery demonstrations with other members of his group. Chris Depta was busy cooking a dish of potatoes and leeks for dinner. She had earlier prepared salamungdi, a type of chef’s salad for lunch.
“I’m a camp follower and I do a lot of cooking. If I were in the 18th century, my husband would be in the army, a non-commissioned officer or a higher officer,’ Depta said.
Meanwhile, Kathy Kuhl sewed beads on processed deer hide, making a pouch to hold needles and thread. She started three years ago: “I like learning the history and teaching people about it.’
Alex Umstead relaxed by playing a dulcimer and then turning to a pennywhistle. He also plays piano and has a Celtic band.
Nate George, who also participates in the artillery demonstration, likes to share stories with people about how the United States’ culture can often be traced back to Native American ways.
One example is on the back of a dollar bill, which includes an eagle holding 13 arrows in its talons. While the story behind the design is credited to Benjamin Franklin, George can trace it back to the Iroquois legend called “The Great Law.’
Here, a peacekeeper tried to unite the six nations by demonstrating their weakness as individuals and their strength in unity.
He easily broke one arrow over his knee but could not break six banded together. Franklin borrowed this idea by using it in a demonstration with 13 arrows.
“We want people to hear about our shared history and the Oneida part of it,’ said George.