Local residents celebrate America
As a procession of Fayette County and area veterans passed in front of her on Fayette Street, 7-month-old Malia Christine Matthews waived a tiny American flag as if she knows she is a member of a military family. Relatives, babysitting the little girl while her parents are serving military duty in the Middle East, took her to the 73rd annual Americanism Day parade Monday in Uniontown out of a sense of pride and freedom.
“We are proud to see all these veterans because we have veterans in our family,” said Susan Staggers, whose cousin, Air Force Master Sgt. Franklin Matthews Jr., a Lemont Furnace native, is Malia’s father. “Freedom for this child to see her first parade is the reason we support our troops.”
The girl’s mother, Air Force Staff Sgt. Sherry Matthews, a Hawaii native, is serving her second tour in Iraq and Matthews Jr. is serving in Afghanistan.
The Matthews, who met in the military, live in North Pole, Alaska, and are stationed at Eielson A.F. Base in Fairbanks.
“They are proud to serve their country. I pray for them all to return safely. I think all of Fayette County supports our troops,” Staggers said.
Malia, the Matthews’ only child, has been staying with Kent and Garnet Crossland of Lemont Furnace since Christmas, when she was just 3 months old and her parents were deployed overseas. Kent Crossland is also Matthews Jr.’s cousin.
“She’s been a blessing,” Kent Crossland said.
“It’s nice with the empty nest,” said his wife Garnet. She said their daughter is attending law school in West Virginia and their son is a graduating senior at Penn State.
“It’s all about family,” Kent Crossland said. “Without family, you don’t have anything.”
The veterans and local official that took part in the parade also attended an Americanism Day program and dinner at the American Legion Post 51 on North Gallatin Avenue.
Post Commander Loretta Imler welcomed guests to the dinner and commandant Dan Martin and Chuck Thomas led them in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Uniontown Mayor James Sileo welcomed everybody to the city and post adjutant Joe T. Joseph introduced the guests.
Angela Zimmerlink, chairwoman of the Fayette County Commissioners, read an Americanism Day proclamation.
Speakers included retired Maj. Gen. John “Jack Mier, American Legion State Commander James Hales, American Legion state auxiliary president Joan Reinoehl, American Legion state adjutant Kit Watson and past national American Legion Commander Ron Conley.