Web Design by A Edwards Design.
© MissSouthlake.org. All Rights Reserved.

Miss Southlake 2006
Shea Yarborough

Never Forgotten:
Actively Remembering the Worth of our Veterans

What is the worth of a veteran? Is it found in the medals they are awarded or in their stories of victory and days gone by? We, as a nation, must remember that our veterans are a group of individuals that voluntarily sacrificed so much that, in the long run, we, as American citizens, can have more. So, where do we begin to say thank you? How can we possibly re-pay this debt to such noble men and women?

While for many, saying the words "thank you" would be a step in the right direction, there is something more. It involves being an active part of a nation saying "thank you." Living the words "thank you" means seeking out those veterans around you and saying those two simple words that so many of them have never heard.

My platform, Never Forgotten, is a program that not only raises the awareness of this critical issue facing our veterans and their families, it shows people of all ages that this is not just a national problem, but it affects every single person that lives and breathes in a free America. It is also a program that supports two missions: (1.) educating the public through encouraging children, teens, and collegiate student's involvement with local veteran's organizations and local veteran's hospitals and (2.) focusing on increasing the hands-on support that veterans need mentally, physically, and spiritually.

As young children we were taught to stand with our hands over our hearts as we faced the flag and sang the national anthem. Most young people are bursting with American pride but have no outlet to express it. Never Forgotten's first purpose is to give school age children, as well as adults, a way to demonstrate their appreciation for our service men and women through fundraisers with local veteran's organizations or veteran's hospitals. They are even encouraged to organize their own fundraisers. Most importantly, Never Forgotten reiterates the idea that most veterans just want to know that they have not been forgotten and, citizens can let them know this by saying "thank you."

In an ideal world, a soldier would come home from war and fall directly back into his or her place in society, but such is not the case. Unfortunately, there are many problems that await their arrival back to the United States. They face emotional damage, spiritual anxieties, and physical injuries. Never Forgotten focuses on increasing the existing governmental aid for our military but then looks to those areas that the government can't or won't attend to. Veterans need and desire all the love and support they can acquire, and making sure our veterans do receive that attention is the primary goal of Never Forgotten.