Dave Hamilton carries the American flag as the rest of the honor guard follows in procession after a gun salute in honor of the fallen during the 77th V-J Day celebration in August 2022 at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1925 in Seymour.
Tribune file photo
No novices
Thumbs up to the Brownstown Central High School FFA novice chapter meeting team which recently qualified for the state competition on Feb. 11 at Lebanon High School by finishing first in the district and section contests. Members of the team, coached by Debbie Hackman, are freshmen Matthew Rothert, Caden Wischmeier, Collin Downing, Gage Mull, Josh Christian, Taylor Smith and Layla Fritsche.
Headed to state
Thumbs up to the Group 1 student-musicians from Seymour High School who advanced to the Indiana State School Music Association State Solo and Ensemble Contest on Feb. 18 at Perry Meridian High School at Indianapolis. Those advancing from the district contest on Saturday at Floyd Central High School are Aria Massengale, Carly Kaiser, Isabel Maschino, Joel Stevens, Katie Cottrill, Kelly Beavers, Leonel Jimenez, Liza Stuckwisch, Owen Lauster and Will Hudson.
United effort
Thumbs up to the six businesses recognized for supporting Jackson County United Way for most if not all of its 60 years of existence. Those businesses were JCBank, Schneck Medical Center, Rose Acre Farms, The Tribune, Beatty Insurance and Blue & Co. Another thumbs up to the Bollinger family who received the United Way’s first Heritage Award. A related thumbs up to the top 10 companies for the 2022 fundraising campaign. They were Cummins Inc., Schneck Medical Center, Aisin USA Mfg. Inc., Blue & Co., Nippon Steel Pipe America Inc., JCBank, Beatty Insurance, Seymour Community School Corp., Lannett Co. Inc. and Jackson County. The awards were distributed during the the United Way’s 60th annual campaign dinner on Jan. 26 at The Pines Evergreen Room in Seymour. In 2022, JCUW’s annual campaign goal was to raise $560,000. At the time, $490,000 had been raised, which is 88% of the goal.
School salute
Thumbs up to Immanuel Lutheran School sixth-grader Zach Lister who was the overall winner of the Lutheran Scholarship Granting Organization of Indiana’s Why I Love My School contest to celebrate the organization’s 10th anniversary. Lister incorporated some of the reasons why he loves his school, including its Christ-centered education, his amazing friends and teammates, teachers, favorite subject, family, music and the Warrior Way, into a 3-minute, 31-second Google Slides videos as the Christian song “10,000 Reasons” plays. He won a $50 gift card and an overnight stay, including parking and travel expenses, with his family in downtown Indianapolis, and then breakfast, a tour of the Statehouse and guest of honor for a thank-you lunch with 150 state legislators the next day.
Fly it right — and proud
Thumbs down to all those who fly an American flag in their yard (or on their truck) that is weather torn and dirty. It doesn’t show patriotism when you allow that beautiful symbol of democracy to become tattered from being left out in the weather 24/7. Flag etiquette is available on Internet at USA.gov or from any Boy Scout. Fly it right and fly it proud!
Dresa Allman