How
does war hit home, even if it’s thousands of miles away? Lois
Kiely who has recently published an essay in Chicken Soup for the
Soul for Military Families will present a program that addresses this
question. Ms. Kiely writes about her father who went missing in Italy
during WWII. His neighborhood buddies formed an association to honor
him and send her to college. As a “war orphan” herself, Kiely
shares the obstacles that families face who have lost loved ones in
war. She also pays tribute to programs and organizations that
provide recognition and support for military families.
The latest edition of the popular Chicken Soup series is dedicated to
military families and provides insights from the perspective of those
who have kept the home fires burning. The book will have its local
debut at the old Oakhurst School auditorium at 163 Monmouth Road on
August 22nd at 7:15 p.m. It features accounts of those who worried
and prayed for the safe return of their soldiers from Vietnam,
Afghanistan, and all major conflicts. It tells of the joys and fears
that they experienced. This anthology sparks the question, “Who
looks after those who wait behind?”
In
researching the topic, Kiely found a support organization called the
American World War II Orphans Network (AWON) that brings the children
of this conflict together. She also became aware of a nationwide
program that pays tribute to our servicemen and woman. Blue Star
Highways and Byways place memorial plaques in places where they can
be viewed the road. Two such markers are located in nearby towns.
The
Chicken Soup for Military Families book will be sold at this
presentation as a fundraiser for a special price of $10.00. All
proceeds will go to the Township of Ocean Historical Museum.
Lois
Kiely, a Wanamassa resident, serves on the Museum’s Board of
Directors; she is a graduate of Monmouth University, a former New
Jersey Teacher of the Year, and a retired teacher and school
administrator. Her stories have been published in the Phoenix
Writers’ Club magazine.
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