Retired Veterans Affairs Service Officer Mike Hanks Honored
September 14, 2015
Former area Veterans Affairs Service Officer Mike Hanks was honored with a retirement reception Sunday by VFW Post 7016 and the American Legion Post 90 at the American Legion Hall in Atmore.
Hanks assisted countless area veterans and the families in his 27 years of service. He has also been a familiar face at veterans-related events at area schools, usually in a very patriotic flag tie or shirt.
In 1971, in the midst of the Vietnam War, he was drafted into the U.S. Army.
During a ceremony earlier this year for National Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Day, Hanks said he did not talk about the Vietnam War for a long time. “I didn’t figure anybody wanted to hear about it.”
He related the story of his “Freedom Flight” home following his tour, and of the business woman sitting next to him on that plane. Her reaction to being seated next to a returning solider from Vietnam and what she said to the stewardess still resonates deeply with Hanks.
“I want a different seat; I don’t want to sit by a baby killer,” she said loudly.
“That hurt me more than anything, because she couldn’t understand how much I love kids. and it hurt,” an emotional Hanks said, as other veterans in the audience were visible moved.
“Words cannot describe how much it helps the healing process for you to have something like this for our veterans,” Hanks concluded as he thanked the organizers of the welcome home ceremony. “I’ve got news for you. I am a Vietnam veteran of the U.S. Army. Any I am proud of it, and I’m proud to be an American.”
Hanks is a 1969 graduate of Ernest Ward High School in Walnut Hill. He has been married to his wife Gayle for 45 years; they have two children and five grandchildren.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Barrineau Park Community Gets Together For Day Of Fun (With Gallery)
September 13, 2015
A Barrineau Park Community Gathering was hled Saturday at the community center on Barrineau Park School Road. Residents of Barrineau Park were joined by friends, family and neighbors for a day of family fun.
There were arts and crafts vendors, plants sales, a bounce house and other games for children, a cake walk, live bands and free admission to the historical museum.
The event was sponsored by the Barrineau Park Historical Society.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Strength Team Delivers Strong Message
September 13, 2015
With feats like crushing concrete and bending steel, the Strength Team brought their strong inspirational messages to Highland Baptist Church, Molino Park Elementary and Jim Allen Elementary.
At the elementary schools, the Strength Team delivered a motivational message, addressing how students can work hard toward obtaining their goals and dreams through education and hard work.
The leader and founder of The Strength Team, Mike Hagen, has dedicated over 20 years of his life to this kind of work. He has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people and performed at thousands of school and church assemblies. He has been featured on CNN, ESPN, and the popular television show “Walker Texas Ranger” with Chuck Norris.
Pictured: The Strength Team Saturday night at Highland Baptist Church in Molino. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UWF Students Help Panhandle Equine Rescue For 9/11 Day Of Service
September 12, 2015
Students from the University of West Florida took part in the 9/11 National Day of Service Friday at various locations, including Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment. At PER, the students spend their morning doing barn chores. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
9/11 Remembered At NAS Pensacola
September 11, 2015
Naval Air Station Pensacola held a 9/11 commemoration event Friday morning at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard the base.
NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Captain Keith Hoskins provided opening remarks for the event, which included a “Where Were You” tribute, the traditional “Two-Bell Ceremony” and the playing of “Taps” performed by the NASP Honor Guard.
Courtesy photos by NASP for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Our View: Where Were You That September Morning?
September 11, 2015
We publish this piece on an annual basis, and we encourage you to comment below, answering the question ‘Where Were You That September Morning?
September 11, 2001. It’s been 14 years.
Life, at least when that morning began, seemed good. I’ve always been a work at home dad, so I was home with my two girls. The youngest was almost four months old, and the oldest was approaching her fourth birthday. It was a normal morning. The little one was asleep, “fat and happy” as we used to say, after a morning bottle. The oldest was in the living room just a few feet from my office watching PBS Kids on the TV as I worked on a project for a client.
Then this arrived in my inbox:
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 08:52am– World trade center damaged; unconfirmed reports say a plane has
crashed into tower. Details to come.
I got up, walked to the living room and flipped the TV to CNN. They were talking about how a pilot could make such an error, hitting such a large building. They were speculating that it was just a small plane. But then as the TV news helicopters zoomed their cameras in closer, the anchors were beginning to notice what I had already thought….those holes the tower were to big to have been a small plane.
(continues below photo)
I called my wife at work in Atmore. She had seen the breaking news email, and had tried to visit the CNN website to see the story. If you remember trying to use the internet that morning, it was near impossible to get a news website to load; they were all overloaded. She was unable to see the pictures. I was describing what I saw on the TV to her.
I managed to grab a picture from CNN via my web server and then download and email it to her. We were speculating about how it could happen when the second one hit.
I remember saying “wait, hold on, wait…”. I told her what I just watched on the TV. The second plane had hit the other tower. We quickly decided that we were at war as the anchors on TV speculated again that perhaps there was a problem with some navigational system, causing jetliners on a beautiful, clear morning in New York to fly into some of the tallest structures in the world.
Another breaking news email arrived:
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:21am– Second plane crashes into World Trade Center.
She and I began to speculate ourselves that we were at war. What would we do? What should we do? What about the kids? It was not panic, understand, but just that protective momma and daddy instinct, I suppose. Prayer. That was a good idea. Maybe go to the bank and get out a little cash. That seemed like a good idea. How would you prep for a war on American soil? We were not sure.
I continued to relay information about what I was seeing on TV to my wife at work, who, in turn, would relay the information to her coworkers. They had a TV, but no cable service or antenna. They ended up fashioning a homemade antenna to see a fuzzy picture.
Meanwhile, the breaking news emails kept arriving…
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:32am– Sources tell CNN one of two planes that crashed into World Trade
Center was an American Airlines 767.
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:42am– President Bush calls plane crashes at World Trade Center a
terrorist act.
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:45am– Significant fire at the Pentagon. Details to come.
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:46am– White House evactuated. Details to come.
The Pentagon on fire? The White House evacuated? Notice that in CNN’s email they were in such a hurry that they misspelled “evacuated”. One sentence at a time, the situation became more grave.
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:55am– CNN confirms a plane hit the Pentagon
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 10:03am– One of World Trade Center towers collapses; fire forces
evacuation of State Department
Subject: CNN Breaking News
From: BreakingNews@CNN.COM
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 10:30am– Second World Trade Center tower collapses in Manhattan
Over and over, we watched those towers collapse on TV, and we watched our Pentagon burn.
Our almost four year old asked a lot of questions. “Were people hurt? Did they need a Band-aid?” The magnitude of the event was lost on a four year old. Looking back at those first few hours, I think the magnitude of the event was lost on all of us.
Like many Americans, I sat glued to the TV that day, continuing to watch the video of the towers falling. Our almost four year old asked if another building fell down or if it was the same one. It was time to change the channel on the TV.
You might remember that many of the entertainment TV stations ran network news feeds. Others just simply ran screens about the day’s events. There was no USA network, no ESPN, no MTV. But on PBS, we found children’s programming at a time it was not normally on. For a little while, sitting in the living room floor holding my kids, the world stopped turning that September day, as we watched Big Bird and the Cookie Monster.
Country artist Alan Jackson later wrote a song “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?”.
Some of those lyrics:
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cryDid you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don’t know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left belowBut I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love
Where where you when the world stopped turning that September day? Your comments are welcome below.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Strength Team To Appear In Molino
September 11, 2015
With feats like ripping a phone book in half, crushing walls of concrete with a blow from an arm or head, breaking handcuffs and running through 2×4 boards, the Strength Team will bring their inspirational message to a Molino church Saturday and Sunday nights.
The Strength Team will perform their amazing feats of strength Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m. at Highland Baptist Church. Admission is free; an offering will be received.
The leader and founder of The Strength Team, Mike Hagen, has dedicated over 20 years of his life to this kind of work. He has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people and performed at thousands of school and church assemblies. He has been featured on CNN, ESPN, and the popular television show “Walker Texas Ranger” with Chuck Norris.
Pictured: A previous Strength Team appearance at Highland Baptist Church and Molino Park Elementary School. NorthEscambia.com file photos. click to enlarge.
Tate High School Remembers 9/11 With ‘110 Stories’
September 10, 2015
The Tate High School Drama Department will present the drama “110 Stories” Thursday through Sunday.
110 Stories captures the grief and resilience of New York City in the wake of the September 11 attacks through the words of those who experienced it directly–not only firefighters and police, but iron workers, chaplains, K-+9 handlers, nurses, photojournalists, and the homeless who witnessed the horrific events and also saved lives that day.
Together these first-person testimonials reveal the hope, humor, and compassion that emerged in the midst of this tragedy. Memorializing September 11 by sharing the stories no one saw on the news, the play is a powerful and humanizing
account of New York City’s darkest day.
Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Tate High School Cafetorium. Tickets are $7 at the door, $5 in advance. Admission is free for law enforcement, firefighters and EMTs with identification or in uniform.
Photos courtesy Kim Stefansson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Park 1st Graders Attend Wedding Of Q And U
September 8, 2015
The letters Q and U were united in marriage last week in a wedding hosted by the first grade at Molino Park Elementary School.
First graders wore their fancy clothes to look like a QUeen or King for the royal event. Students also brought wedding “gifts” for the newly united couple, from real items to magazine cut-outs or printed items. Anything starting with “QU” was the perfect gift.
Wedding gifts ranged from QUarters, QUilts, boxes of QUinoa grain, Elsa the snow QUeen inspired items, a QUiver and even one student who said his special gift was to be QUiet for the wedding. The reception that followed involved lots of festive QUacking with the Chicken Dance song, ring pops and Little Debbie wedding cakes.
After the QUick wedding, Q and U are now QUietly at home in the vocabulary of first graders at Molino Park Elementary as they continue their QUest for learning.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
World Renowned Organist’s Career Began At Molino Church
September 6, 2015
When Tom Helms, Jr. was a boy growing up in the Molino Methodist Church, he had dreams of the sounds of a pipe organ filling the sanctuary. That dream, and his love for pipe organ music, eventually took Helms around the globe where he is respected as one of top organ designers and organ players.
His musical resume is no less impressive than the resounding tones of the organ. He’s played venues across the globe, written ballets such as “Dracula”, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “The Little Mermaid”, and been featured on regional and national television.
But it all goes back to a very musical family in Molino.
“We were the the Von Trapps of Molino,” he said, referring to the family in The Sound of Music. “All of my siblings, the entire family, loved to sing and loved music.”
Helms grew up in the Molino Methodist Church and and was presented at the inception of Aldersgate United Methodist in 1965. During his teen years he played for the church and developed the music program for the church.
And, when visiting other large churches, heard and fell in love with the pipe organ.
“I could not get of the sound of the organ,” he said. He eventually taught himself how to play the grand instrument.
He went on to attend the University of Alabama studying and playing the organ. And playing Denny Chimes, the famous bell tower symbol of the University of Alabama. He then moved to Texas Christian University to continue his studies, and continuing to play.
Along the way, he began to design and build organs, completing four of the largest pipe organs built in the United States in the last 60 years…including one at Pensacola Christian College. He also restored the grand organ at Pensacola’s Saenger Theatre.
Helms never forgot his dream of an organ at Aldersgate in Molino, with his installation taking place in late 1991. His dream was realized when the organ was first played during morning worship on January 26, 1992. Dedicating the organ to Mrs. Hazel Matthews (member and long-time organist at Molino/Aldersgate Church) and William E. Helms, Sr. (his parental grandfather) Helms presented a recital on the new organ on February 16, 1992.
The Aldersgate organ may not be the grandest of them all, but it holds a special place in Helms’ heart. The electric console was built in 1949 and was being discarded by a church in Cleveland, OH. Helms acquired and reworked the console, which is constructed of solid walnut wood. The racks of pipes, the bellows and all the hundreds of parts that make it all work were a combination of parts built by Helms and vintage spares.
“It’s really quite simple,” he quipped as he sat down at the console. It’s just a bunch of keys and switches, but it’s not that hard to get something out that sounds good, instead of something that sounds like a bunch of cats fighting.” Those keys and switches and pedals all control the flow of air through hundreds of pipes. And in the case of the Aldersgate organ, many of those pipes are in room separated from the sanctuary by large shutters, allowing volume control.
As he played, the sounds ranged from a soft and subtle tone to a deep base that could rattle the pews.
“It is really one of the most thrilling and majestic musical instruments. The sound comes from all around. You hear it, you feel it.”
Helms presented a free recital Saturday night on the Aldersgate organ, a program he said was designed to inspire audience members to sing.
“If I inspire the audience, I’ve done my job,” he said.
Pictured top and top inset: Organist Tom Helms at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino. Pictured bottom inset and below: Some of the hundreds of pipes that make up the organ that Helms built. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
