MOUNT VERNON — Meeting other veterans, seeing old friends and enjoying the comraderie of other veterans and their families. This is the theme that men and women from military service say is the reason they attend the Veterans of Knox County annual picnic.
The reunion was held Sunday at Riverside Park with upward of 400 veterans and their spouses attending the eighth annual event. It is sponsored by Knox County veterans associations and headed by a veteran, Susie Simmons, with help from chief cook James “Buck” Lemon. Lemon is a Vietnam veteran.
An opening ceremony was held at noon with posting of the colors and drill by the Junior Air Force ROTC at the Knox County Career Center. The roll of deceased veterans was read by Paul Cline.
An Air Force veteran, George Hess of Mount Vernon, feels the picnic is a good thing, for meeting old friends not often seen. Ray Johnson, Mount Vernon, a disabled Fifth Air Force veteran who also served in the Ohio Guard, has been to all the reunions, where he can meet with other veterans.
Bob Henry of Fredericktown, another Air Force veteran, also attends the reunions to meet people and have a good time. Ron Samples, Howard, the last of six sons who served in the armed forces, has attended most years and sees a lot of old friends.
The Rolling Thunder, Chapter 5, Ohio POW-MIA veterans memorial was on display. Richard and Donna Best of Cuyahoga Falls put on a show of trick and fancy Western cowboy roping, a bull whip routine with target cutting. They got the youngsters involved, too, showing them how to spin a rope.
