Potter Pride and father pride

I have said it here before. I will say it again. Morton Schools are something we can be proud of!!
I attended Graduation Ceremonies on Sunday. My middle daughter was a graduate. What a group of students. Their accomplishments is acedemia, athletics and music are unreal for a school of the size of Morton High.
Our schools are among the best in the State.
That said I would like to concentrate on a very small group of Morton High Students.
Six to be exact. These students have decided to serve our country after high school. Two will become Marines. Two will join the Navy. One will become an Airman in the Air Force. One will be going to the United States Military Academy at West Point.
For those of you who do not know, an appointment to West Point is not an easy thing to obtain.
It is one of the most exclusive school in the country and with good reason.
Congratulations to all of Morton's class of 09. Especially to Jacob Reisinger on his appointment to West Point.
A very special congratulations to my daughter from a very proud father.

a bit of beach boy trivia

Bruce Johnson of the Beach Boys was born in Peoria, Illinois at the Florence Crittenton Home for unwed mothers. My 18 year-old daughter met Bruce Thursday at the Beach Boy Concert in Peoria this past Thursday. During the show, Bruce told the audience where he was born. My daughter, Ashley is adopted. We picked her up from the Crittenton Home December 19th 1990.
She now feels a real connection to the beach Boys.

Thanks is such a small word

I have just returned from a Beach Boys concert in Peoria, Illinois. I was the guest of Mike Love and Bruce Johnson. After meeting them backstage before the concert, My 18-year-old daughter (my wife was sick and couldn’t attend) and I found our seats. Great seats 10 rows back and center stage. Before the curtain went up, several beach balls were being volleyed about the Peoria Civic Center Theatre.
I was amazed at the crowd. Sure there were plenty of baby-boomers but there were an equal amount of 30 somethings. Everytime I looked at my daughter she was singing along with the boys. She knew the words to almost every song they sang. That shows the durability of an institution like the Beach Boys.
The concert was fantastic. Mike Love and Bruce Johnson have surrounded themselves with some very talented individuals who fit right into the Beach Boys style. Anyone who has a chance to go to a Beach Boys’ concert should indeed go see them. You won’t be disappointed.
As I said I was the guest of Mike and Bruce. How that happened is in itself an amazing story of how doing something for others comes back at you. Three months ago I sent an email to a fellow veteran, Lt. Bobby Ross. Lt. and I go back several years and sometime in that period he mentioned he knew the Boys. Well I had helped Lt. getting a claim through the VA maze. So I figured "Hey Lt., any chance you can hook me up?"
Lt. sent an email to a friend of his in Nashville Fred Vail. The Lt. put me on a pretty high pedestal as he has a tendency to do. My modesty would prevent me from taking credit for all the Lt. claims.
Still, I am a veterans advocate and I do help a lot of vets as a way to say thanks to my brothers and sisters in arms.
Fred took the ball and ran with it. Recently Fred was seriously injured in a car accident. Yet he continued to work at getting me a pair of tickets into the concert. On Friday he made the call to the Boys’ manager. Yesterday Fred sent me an email stating that I was all set for the Beach Boys. What a day yesterday was!
I had also succeeded in an effort to stop a group from charging people to view a replica of the Vietnam wall.
I got a double dose of GOOD VIBRATIONS!
Then there was the concert tonight. My only regret is that my wife was unable to attend. Yet even that was a positive as I was able to spend an evening with my middle daughter who is graduating High School on Sunday.
To Elliot Lott the manager of the Beach Boys: Thank you for the evening. I have nothing but praise for your group and their performance.
To Fred Vail: Sir, I am so very appreciative of your efforts especially considering your accident. For you to do this for a stranger on the word of a mutual friend shows that you are a man of honor. Thanks is such a small word, but is all I have.
To Lt. Bobby Ross my friend, my brother, my leader: You and I have been down the trail together for some time. I have watched your six and you have watched mine. We have accomplished much together. You have on many occasions brought tears to my eyes. Coming of Age . You have also been a source of encouragement. You have lifted my up on a pedestal I am afraid to fall off of. You have been there for me, as I have for you. I have been a source of inspiration for you. What is Memorial Day. I hope you can find somewhere to perform that this year as you did here last year. I am rambling as I don’t know how to thank you for hooking me up with Fred. Let’s just say that I will walk point for you anytime, any where and thanks for the R&R.
Larry Stimeling
Proud Vietnam Veteran
Veterans Advocate
Deputy National Commander of
LT Bobby Ross’ LRRPnet