PICTURES from April 12, 2008 MEETING
Photos by Charlie Day
INVOCATION
LORD GOD ALMIGHTY
We thank You again, Lord, for our families, our compatriots, our friends, our country, and for all those in the service of our country who are about their work in defending us and the liberties and freedoms we enjoy each day. Bless and care for our compatriots and Auxiliary members who could not be with us today. We miss them and pray those who can will be with us in May. Give us a caring spirit, Lord, so that each of us will be moved to call someone who was unable to join with us in today’s fellowship—and in so doing, to let them know we care about them and what is happening in their lives.
Thank You for another day of life and blessings, Lord. Sometimes we are not aware of many of the blessings You so graciously bestow on us—until we look around and see someone else with a condition or situation that seems to us to be far worse than whatever we may be experiencing. So today, Lord, we lift our hearts and spirits in thanksgiving for the lives You have given us, and for the strength You have provided us to enable us to live our lives as best we can. Help us, Lord, not to ever settle for doing anything with Your precious gift of life but the best of which we are capable. Lord, help us to live our lives from day to day so that one day our hearts will resonate with the laughter of Your joy because of the way we please You by the things we do to help others. We also hope and wait for the sound of Your words in our spirits, “Well done, good and faithful servant”—and when we hear those wonderful words, may we not rest, but instead redouble our efforts to live for You by bringing some joy and comfort into the lives of those who need it.
Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayer. AMEN
President Dan presenting the Daughters of Liberty Medal to Marlene Townsend
President Dan presenting Martha Washington Medal to Dot Day
The "Hero's" Table right front to back, The York Family, hero-David, Ciera, Rebecca and Kroy York
Constitution Panel presentation to Eric Head for the Lakes Region Library (inverness)
presented by Harley Nelson (left)-(Eric in Center)-President Dan Hans (right)
Mr. and Mrs. York, Ladies of the Auxiliary, Compatriots, and Guests:
At this time, we want to honor a genuine hero, Adam York. One definition of a hero is this: A hero is someone who has shown a high order of courage in the performance of an outstanding achievement while in a situation involving personal risk.
The facts are these. On April 3, Adam York, the eight-year old son of Kroy and Rebecca York, was playing in his yard in Crystal River with his sister and a two-year old cousin. Suddenly, Adam saw an animal running toward his cousin. In a moment, Adam realized it was not just an animal, but a dangerous animal, and he quickly moved into a position to shield and protect his cousin from what was subsequently identified as a wild fox. The fox attacked Adam, and bit him on his mouth—a painful injury which required four stitches—in addition to inflicting scratches and puncture wounds thus causing Adam to have to immediately begin a series of rabies vaccination shots.
From the signers of the Declaration of Independence—who risked “their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor” for our country—down through the years, our national history is replete with heroes and their courageous deeds. There are many such heroes in this room today—ordinary folks who have freely put themselves at risk with their extraordinary actions for the protection, safety, and well-being of others. To paraphrase verse 13 of the 15th chapter of John, “No person has a greater love than the person who risks their life for friends.”
Today, it is our privilege to honor Adam York as a hero for protecting, defending, and possibly saving the life of his two-year old cousin by his recent outstanding courageous and sacrificial actions.
