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The concept of the Veterans Hall of Honor
came about in 1997, when a group of alumni
were interested in creating a space that would honor
alumni who were veterans. The thought
was that considering the Memorial Union stands as a living
memorial to World War I veterans, that this seemed like
a logical place.
This room is special to me, because I grew up an Army brat.
And, like most kids, I grew up not fully
understanding the sacrifices that my dad made on a daily basis.
Working in a building that serves as living memorial to veterans,
in the city that is recognized as the founding city of Veterans Day,
is a constant reminder to me of the sacrifices that have been made
by the many brave men and women of this country so that we
can enjoy the freedoms that we have today.
Art and Susie, your donation jump-started
the entire renovation of the Memorial Union,
and words cannot express my sincerest thanks.
I truly hope that we have met your expectations.
This is an opportunity for Emporia State University to recognize and
appreciate the many military veterans—past, present, and future.
Over the years, 21,000 veterans
have benefited from their education at Emporia State University.
Right now, 96 students—children, spouses, GIs—
are here on that bill. And I think that says
a great deal about our institution and our continued
investment in the future.
We met, I think, in this Student Union.
We always called it the Student Union. We learned how to play bridge here.
It was not too long after we met
that we got married.
And I still had a year to go in college. If it hadn’t have been for that
40-cents-an-hour job that she had down at the corner drugstore at 11th and Commercial,
I might not have been able to make it. Because that meal a day for playing football and basketball
wasn’t hardly enough to go around. But she did it,
and we’ve been married now for 58 years.
I’m very proud that we have had the opportunity to give back
to this great University. Dave, you and your staff
have done a tremendous job here. I am so proud
of what you have done to make this room very personal
not just to me, but to all the veterans
that it’s dedicated to, those who serve today,
and those who will serve in the future.
It’s a remarkable part of this University,
and I’m very proud to be a part of it.