Dear Editor,

It is with my heartfelt thanks that I want to say how grateful I am for everyone who worked so hard to make the Breathitt County Veterans Appreciation Week a tremendous success. A special thank you is due to Mayor Miller and all the employees of the City of Jackson, Chief Roger Friley and the Jackson Fire Department, Breathitt County Judge-Executive Jason Richardson and his staff, Chairman Ervine Allen and the Breathitt County Veterans Memorial Committee, Janie Griffith and the Breathitt County Museum, the Breathitt County Ministerial Association, Jackson Women’s Group, the Breathitt County School District, the Jackson City School District, Oakdale, Riverside, and Mt. Carmel Christian Schools, the Breathitt County Voice, WJSN, WMTC, Burnham Hudson and the Kentucky National Guard, the loneliest of the people that we’ve identified. Also, thanks to all the businesses that contributed financially to support our Breathitt County Veterans Appreciation Week, especially the Citizens Bank of Jackson and First National Bank, and the many other volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this the best Breathitt County Veterans Appreciation Week possible. There are two groups of individuals that I would certainly want to say a very special thank you to. The Junior Red Cross, made up of approximately 30 outstanding young people under the direction of Mrs. Rose Wolfe and her assistants, Sara Wilder, Grace Gross, and Patricia Gross, and all their volunteers, spent countless hours making the Breathitt County Veterans Appreciation Week the success that it was. Their vigorous efforts helped make the Thursday night candlelighting service in memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice for their great country a somber and sincere occasion. Their help with the parade in Jackson on Saturday morning and the veterans program at Douthitt Park and their tremendous hard work on Sunday at the First Church of God were invaluable.

The other group that I would like to pay a special tribute to is the Women’s Group of the Jackson First Church of God. These ladies worked diligently all week to make the Sunday evening veterans appreciation program at the church a success. When the program ended, there was an evening meal served for everyone in the church multi-purpose building. Over 250 people were treated to ham, green beans, hot rolls, peach cobbler, and all the trimmings that go with a good meal. I could never show my appreciation enough for this group of ladies that worked so hard to make this first veterans appreciation event at our church a success. My sincere appreciation goes out to pastor Bobby Hollon and everyone at the First Church of God for their hard work, dedication, and willingness to volunteer to take on such a major undertaking. It was more than successful.

In closing, I just want to say another heartfelt thank you to all the Breathitt County veterans and all their families that have said how much they appreciated it the entire week. They deserve all the honors and thanks we can give them, and more.

Sincerely,

State Rep. Ted Edmonds

Jackson