After sending a letter to the principal, I also sent off one to George Ciampa of Let Freedom Ring. Thought I would share our correspondence. Let the circle be unbroken...
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Hello George:
I was sent your link by John McAuliffe, 87th Infantry Div, a good friend of mine. I was very impressed with the content of your site, and placed your link on my site today. You can find your link here under the heading, General Tributes/Veterans Links:
http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/lin...uteVeterans.htm
A friend of mine heard a 20-something being questioned about the relationship of WWII and the war today, "What's WWII got to do with anything, that's ancient history!" Trust me she wanted to choke that young man. So many today see absolutely no correalation between events past and present. As you and I know full well; they are doomed to repeat the past. How sad! But that is mainly due to the fact that most schools simply aren't teaching history, and certainly not anything related to WWII. Many kids aren't even aware of when and who fought in it, let alone why.
I look forward to hearing from you and bless you for your contributions to the continuing education of our young people. No one should forget WWII.
Regards,
Marion Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer WWII
http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com
http://www.6thcorpsmusic.us
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Dear Marion, WOW, what a website!!!! Thank you very much for including mine. This is a terrific thing that you are doing. I will include a link in my website as soon as I can get my webmaster to do it.
My second documentary, "Let Freedom Ring" --Memories of France, filmed in July 2007, is being edited now and will be ready this month. It highlights 3 combat veterans who landed in Normandy on D-Day, as I did. Also different teachers participated and they had the opportunity to talk to French citizens who were survivors.
I am in the process of seeking funding to 1: get the films into all 2117 public high schools (non-public later) in California with lesson plans. (Hopefully other states next). The sponsor will get name recognition on the lesson plans and DVDs. 2: get the film on PBS stations in the U.S. I have a distributing company who will do it for a price. They will distribute it to 135 stations of which 40 to 60% will air it translating into 50 million households. The sponsor will get a 15 second spot for a message at the beginning of the film.
Will be in touch to tell you about my next two documentaries. This time not with veterans and teachers. You will be surprised.
My best, George Ciampa
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Dear George:
Wow, thanks for your almost instantaneous reply. I am so pleased. And thanks for your kind compliments regarding my dad's site.
Today I sent the following letter to our local high school principal. I am sharing my letter to Mr. Williams below. My goal is also to educate as many people as possible including adults. I am pleased to report that my site has had more than 70,000 hits since it's inception in June of 2004, and we are reaching more and more people on a daily basis.
I can't tell you how many heartbreaking letters and email I receive from sons and daughters and grandkids, informing me how desperate they are to know their loved ones' story. So many begin, "Dear Marion, my father passed away two months ago and while rummaging through our attic... Can you please help me reconstruct his history?...
Luckily I have been able to assist hundreds of such requests and have even had the joy to reunite vets with their long lost brothers-in-arms. Such was the case at our last Seahorse reunion in September 2007. It warms my heart to be able to bring such joy to folks, especially "my boys" as I loving term them.
I am going to order one of your DVD's and can't wait to view it. I am hoping Principal Williams will take advantage of the situation and introduce your DVD, etc. into their curriculum.
I am also thinking of creating a documentary based on my book (which I will probably self-publish, and will write and produce it myself. It will be quite an undertaking, but after looking at all "my boys" have gone through, my task seems a simple one by comparison.
With warm regards,
Marion
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Dear Marion, Thank you. Let's stay in touch. We are both doing the same work!
This evening our friends from Belgium, who operate the Remember Museum, will be our guests. They are a part of the "Let Freedom Ring" documentary. John McAulliffe can tell you about these amazing people and what they do to keep the memory alive. (You will see them in the DVD). They are better "Americans" than a great many of Americans in our country.
Gotta run now. Lots to do today as always.
My best, George
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Marion's note: George is referring to Mathilde and Marcel. Please see post I placed last week regarding them.
http://208.109.212.45/forum/index.php?showtopic=4231