Mary Wessell became involved with the Ashtabula County Young Marines when it began five years ago. The involvement led the Geneva High School senior to a scholarship and a trip to Guam and Iwo Jima.
The trip and a $1,000 scholarship came after she was chosen as the outstanding female in the Young Marines program. Only 10 Young Marines nationwide are selected.
The trip allowed the high school senior to learn about the battles that took place on those two islands from World War II veterans of both sides at the 69th Anniversary Commemoration of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
“During my trip, I was truly walking with history,” Wessell said. “I learned more about World War II than I would from any history book.”
Wessell took advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by listening to the veterans’ stories.
“I noticed that each and every veteran was extremely humble, they did not believe they were heroes,” Wessell said. “They agreed that the true heroes were the ones who never returned home.”
Wessell learned firsthand what it was like on the island 69 years ago from those veterans. One U.S. Army veteran told stories as they walked together along the beaches. After the conversation, the veteran’s son told Wessell that it was the first time his father had ever spoken about the time he spent on the island.
Wessell intends to continue her education with a double major in political science and international relations while pursuing a career through the Navy or Air Force ROTC program.  She is the daughter of Kenny and Judy Wessell of Geneva and serves as the Ashtabula County Young Marines Unit sergeant major.

Fairport post serves breakfast
Lenten breakfast “Great Slam” at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7754 will be served 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays through April 13, at the post home, 540 New St. in Fairport Harbor. Adult breakfasts will be $6 and breakfast for children ages 10 years and younger will be $4. Takeout will be available. For details, call the post home at 440-352-1123.

Willowick Korean War veterans wanted
Korean War veterans living in Willowick are asked to contact the mayor’s office. The veterans will be invited to speak with eighth-graders at Willowick Middle School and share their experiences with the students. Call 440-585-3700 if you are interested in this project.

Men’s Auxiliary hosts dinner
The Men’s Auxiliary of VFW Post 2595, 570 Liberty St. in Painesville, will host a roast pork dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. March 29 at the post home. Dinners will be $10 each. For details, call the post at 440-354-9090.

Radio show to feature Vietnam veterans
The “LEGACIES” radio show at 9:30 a.m. Sundays on WELW-AM 1330 will present stories from veterans of the Vietnam War through the end of April. Stories have been forwarded to the Library of Congress for inclusion in the Veterans History Project. To participate in the project, call 440-255-7410.

Tri-C to offer financial guidance to vets
The Cuyahoga Community College Veterans Initiative will offer financial guidance to veteran and military families April 4 during an afternoon event at the Western Campus, 11000 Pleasant Valley Road in Parma. The free program “Balancing the Budget on the Home Front” will be 1 to 5 p.m. in Room A227 of the Health Careers Building. For more information, call the College’s Veterans Initiative at 216-987-3193.

Breakfast benefits Greater Cleveland Fisher House
Members of Kappa Sigma Chapter at Lake Erie College will volunteer their time to host a pancake breakfast as part of the organization’s Spring Semester International Day of Service. The breakfast will be served 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 5 at the First Church of Christ, 422 Mentor Ave. in Painesville. Proceeds of the breakfast will benefit Greater Cleveland Fisher House.

Catholic War Veterans membership drive begins
Catholic War Veterans Post 1959 will host a membership/poppy drive at Masses April 5 and 6, at St. Mary’s Chardon, 401 North St. in Chardon. Members must be practicing Catholics and have a direct relative who served honorably in the United States military. For details, call Ken Kirchner, second vice commander at 440-257-2156 or email cpd2195@yahoo.com.

Burton post hosts breakfast
American Legion Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host a pancake and sausage breakfast 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 6. For details, call Bo at 440-834-8765.

Annual Oink and Squeal Party April 12
American Legion Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host the annual Oink and Squeal Party beginning at 5 p.m. April 12 at the post home. Raffle tickets are $2 each. Food will be available through the legion kitchen. Admission is a nonperishable food item or cash donation to benefit the local food bank. For tickets or details, call 440-834-8621.

Blessing of the Bikes at Willowick post
American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick, will host a Blessing of the Bikes in the parking lot on April 13. The parking lot will open at 10:30 a.m. with the blessing at noon. The event will include vendors, food and music. All proceeds will help local veterans.

Auxiliary hosts annual Chinese auction
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host a Chinese auction at 1 p.m. April 13 at the post home. Tickets are $5 per person. Admission includes 10 auction tickets, dessert and coffee. Donations are being accepted. For details, call the post home at 440-357-7711.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

AMVETS Post 1971 in Perry has done it again. It has rocked its way to another $1,500 for the benefit of Hospice of the Western Reserve.
Each year for the past 17 years, rocking chairs have been placed in front of the post home, 4129 Main St. in Perry, and donations are accepted by the rockers. The post has donated a total of $48,000 to hospice in the 17 years of the Rock-a-Thon.
There were 18 rockers in front of the post home and two were at the Perry IGA for this year’s Rock-a-Thon. Those participating in the rocking were from AMVETS Post 109; Ladies Auxiliary of Post 109 and the president of the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary from Post 22 in Vermilion.

Auxiliary Unit 214 to be honored
Each year, the Willoughby Rotary Club honors a distinguished citizen and civic organization. This year, the Ladies Auxiliary Unit of Palmer-Roberts Post 214 of Willoughby will be honored as the distinguished civic organization. The luncheon will be Jan. 28 at Pine Ridge Country Club.

Special Armistice Day
radio show
In honor of the first Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1918, Tom Swope’s “LEGACIES” radio show at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 11 on WELW-AM 1330 will feature an interview with Marine Arthur Keller, including his memories of the final day of World War I. Keller was 75 years old at the time the interview was done by his daughter, Joyce Keller, in 1974.
Swope has done more than 450 interviews for the Veterans History Project for The Library of Congress.
His book “LEGACIES: Stories from the Second World War” was selected by The Veterans History Project as one of the featured books at the 2012 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.
Eastlake post to host breakfast
Eastlake Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake, will serve a breakfast buffet, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the post home. Donation is $5 per person. For details, call 440-942-3980.

Council on Aging
salutes veterans
The Lake County Council on Aging will present a Wednesday workshop to salute veterans beginning at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at the council office, 8520 East Ave. in Mentor. The Lake County Veterans Service Office and the Council on Aging will present information about available assistance and programs for men and women who have honorably served their country.
For details or to register, call the Council on Aging office at 440-205-8111 or email maribeth@lccoa.org.

Dinner benefits
Honor Flight veterans
A benefit dinner for Honor Flight will be 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 10 at AMVETS Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd. in Mentor-on-the-Lake. The dinner also will include a reverse raffle and only 100 tickets will be sold for the event. Tickets are $12 and include dinner and DJ entertainment. Sideboards will be available for $2 and $3. All proceeds will benefit Honor Flight. For details, call the post at 440-257-9217.

Book sale to fly Nov. 10
The International Women’s Air and Space Museum will host its annual book sale and pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 10 at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland. A pancakes and sausage breakfast will be served. The breakfast donation is $5. For details, call 216-632-1111 or online at www.iwasm.org.

Catholic War Veterans collect
for USO
The Catholic War Veterans Post 1959 of Lake County will host a USO Care Package Event for the troops in Afghanistan at all the masses at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 7575 Bellflower Road in Mentor, the first two weekends in November.
The Catholic War Veterans Post 1959 Membership Poppy Drive will be Nov. 10 and 11, at St. Gabriel Church, 9925 Johnnycake Ridge Road in Concord Township For more information on either event, call Second Vice Cmdr. Ken Kirchner at 440-257-2156.

Burton Legion post
serves chili and soup
Atwood-Mauck Post 459 of the American Legion, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host an all-you-can-eat chili and soup dinner free to all veterans from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11, at the post home. For details, call Bo at 440-834-8764.

Burton post inviting
new members
The American Legion Junior Auxiliary and the Sons of the American Legion of Burton-Middlefield Post 459, Atwood-Mauck, are accepting new members. Those eligible will be 18 years of age and younger, and be the daughter, granddaughter or sister of a current Legion member. For details, call Laurie Wood at 571-278-2037.
The Sons of the American Legion are all male descendants — sons, grandsons or brothers — of a veteran.
For details about the SALs, call Charles Boehnlein at 440-834-1191 or Ron Laurent at 440-343-1478. 

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094: fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.