July 4 weekend means watermelons, queens, parades, picnics, patriotic music and fireworks

A pair of John Gallaspy's melons
await the Fourth of July knife.

It's Friday, and the July 4 weekend — when we celebrate Bogalusa's 97th birthday and the 235th for the United States of America.

When you think watermelon around these parts, it's Washington Parish melons, and some of the best are grown by local attorney John Gallaspy and longtime educator Mickey Murphy.

Late Thursday afternoon, Gallaspy went to his five-acre melon patch and gathered two pickup loads to take to Travis' Supermarket so customers could have a fresh, local melon for the weekend.

Gallaspy is growing at least three varieties this year, including one called "Desert Storm," which has a sort of sage green, dusty color to it.

"Obviously," he said, standing by the bed of one of the trucks, "that one came out after the first Iraqi war."

There are folks selling watermelons on almost every street corner, parking lot and wide spot by the side of the road. In Covington on Thursday, heading out on Highway 25 towards Franklinton, one vendor had a "special" on Washington Parish melons — two for $20.

A word of advice ... stay close to home, pay much less and you've got a greater chance of actually getting a Washington Parish melon.

With 725 acres and a cash value of nearly $1 million, Washington Parish is among the state's four top melon producing parishes.

Along with the melons, there are picnics and beauty pageants — like Saturday night's Paper Queen Ball and Coronation at American Legion Magic City Post No. 24.

Queen Karlie Wheat will make her first public appearance at the ball, then will turn right around and participate in Monday's July 4th Independence and Birthday Parade through Bogalusa.

On Monday, lining up for the parade will begin about 8 a.m. near the corner of 6th and Columbia,  with a 10 a.m. scheduled start.

Capt. Jim Montgomery, U.S. Coast Guard, said the parade carries a dual theme this year — “Citizen Soldiers” and “Protect What Matters” in honor of the Louisiana Army National Guard and Louisiana Air National Guard.

Governor Bobby Jindal, along with Maj. Gen, Bennett C, Landreau, Adjutant General of the Army National Guard and Lt. Gen. Brod Veillon, Commander of the Air National Guard, have committed to participate in the parade. In addition, an Army Band, numerous local floats and a flyover event are also scheduled.

After the parade there will be a brief break before activities get under way at Cassidy Park at 2 p.m.

In a revival of one of the greatest traditions of political campaigning in the South, all candidates for public office are invited to take the stage at the park and greet and talk with the public

The park will also feature food vendors, music and a first-ever bike parade.  Kids of all ages are invited to decorate their bicycles and parade along the new, asphalt track at 3 p.m.  The entry fee for the bike parade is a donation of a perishable food item, which will be given to the Bogalusa Help Center.

Following the activities at Cassidy Park there will be another break until dark, when the sky will be lit up by the explosions of fireworks launched from the Temple-Inland pond. The Bogalusa City Schools will open Lewis V. Murray, Jr. Stadium so that persons may view the fireworks in an open-air setting.

Adams' book, 'To Be the King of Diamonds,' a hit at book signing session

Things are normally quiet on the northeastern corner of Louisiana Avenue and Masonic Drive on Sundays. Yes, you’ll always see cars parked along the street belonging to patrons of the Golden Pear, but today the traffic was even heavier.

Ryan Adams talks with former Bogalusa
resident Chris Schweitzer, now of Chicago,
prior to autographing a book for her sons.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

Things were really active at 301 Louisiana Ave., and the law offices of John Gallaspy. There was a tailgating tent pitched in the lawn with a table of cookies decorated like baseballs and a dispenser filled with ice, cold lemonade and people were coming to and fro. No, Mr. John wasn’t having a watermelon cutting.

Instead, Bogalusa native Ryan Adams was having a signing for his first-ever book, “To Be the King of Diamonds” and, no use a baseball term, it seems to be a hit.

“Ryan, you’ve touched so many people,” said Brenda Miller as Adams autographed her book. “You must feel great to know you’ve made a difference to so many people.”

Adams, a teacher and baseball coach at Slidell’s Northshore High School, explained that he tells his students a story every year about how he answered some of the most difficult questions in his life. He said he started telling the story when he came back from Alabama and found that it made a difference in his life — and from the comments shared at the book signing, in the lives of others.

Chris Schweitzer, who moved away from Bogalusa in 1990 when she left for college and now lives in Chicago, took advantage of a trip home to visit family to bring her boys by to meet Adams and get a signed copy of the book.

“They’re huge baseball fans and I just wanted them to have the opportunity,” she said. “This is wonderful.”

Bogalusan Debbie Miller visits
with Adams as he signs a copy.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

The stream in and out of the office was steady, with most folks either stopping by the tent on the way in or on the way out, where Adams’ mother, Kathy, was greeting visitors.

“I didn’t even know he was doing it (writing a book) until it was done,” his mother, Kathi, said between handing out cookies and cups of lemonade. “We don’t know where it will lead, if anywhere, but we’re certainly proud of him.” The other part of “we” is Adams’ father, Buddy, who was inside managing the inventory in the hallway of the law offices.

In addition to feedback from local residents, reviews at Amazon.com have been particularly glowing. Lee Balinas of Slidell wrote, “I purchased this book at the recommendation of my youngest daughter who had Coach Adams as a teacher. She said he shared this story over two class days and the class was spellbound and deeply moved and motivated. The book arrived this afternoon and I read it in one sitting. I choked up in certain spots and can see how it profoundly affected my daughter. It is a great book for families, teachers, coaches and sports enthusiasts. This book is not an expense ... it is an investment.”

Ryan's mother, Kathi Adams, serves
cookies decorated as baseballs and ice,
cold lemonade to persons coming by.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

And Rufus Thomas of Waynesville, N.C., wrote, “I was absolutely overwhelmed with the honesty with which this book was written! For a young coach/teacher to share his story so that his students can learn life's lessons is remarkable! Growing up has its painful moments! I can remember the many trials of searching for identity. But, Coach Adams shares the roles of faith, family, friends, compassion, and baseball in his search. An excellent book! Strongly recommended!”

“To Be the King of Diamonds” is available locally at Delta Printing for $13 per copy. It is also available at amazon.com or www.trafford.com.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogspot.com.)

Bogalusa native to autograph book June 26

Walter Ryan Adams

Walter Ryan Adams, a Bogalusa native and currently an assistant baseball coach at Class 5A state champion  Northshore High School in Slidell, will hold an autograph session for his book, “To Be the King of Diamonds,” next Sunday (June 26).

The signing will be from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the law office of John Gallaspy, 301 Louisiana Ave.

A review of the book reads: “Every person has a story, and all of us can pinpoint certain moments in our lives that have defined who we are today. Even so, not everyone shares the story they have to tell. Walter Ryan Adams, a high school baseball coach, tells his players a story every year. It involves how he answered some of life's most difficult questions and found his purpose from a speech, a letter, and a baseball. In the course of his story, he explores how to respond to criticism and being picked on; how leaving your comfort zone can make a difference in your life; how to overcome challenges that seem insurmountable, such as asthma; and how good friends can make huge differences in your life. By recalling the details of his past, Coach Adams seeks to create a moment that his students will remember. It is these moments, after all, that define us. He doesn't tell this story for himself. He tells it so that others can learn what it means To Be the King of Diamonds.”

Adams, who lives in Bush with his wife and two children. He is the son of Buddy and Kathy Adams.

“To Be the King of Diamonds” is available at Delta Printing or online at www.amazonbooks.com or www.trafford.com.

Community honors fallen heroes

Bugler Gary Rushing
of Magic City Post 24
plays "Taps."
(Photo by John H. Walker)

More than 200 people, a larger than normal audience, gathered at the new Veterans Plot at Ponemah Cemetery Monday to honor America's fallen at Bogalusa's annual Memorial Day observance.


The program, as always, was hosted by American Legion Magic City Post 24 and included participation from Boy Scout Troop 86 and the Bogalusa High School JROTC Honor Guard.


Following the official welcome, delivered by Mayor Charles Mizell, keynote speaker Dr. Dennis LaRavia shared stories or heroism with the audience ... from World War I, World War II and Afghanistan ... and how the soldiers, sailors and Marines cited all shared a faith in God and belief in Him to help them survive the horrors of war.

Hon. John Gallaspy recites
"In Flanders Fields" for 40th year.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

And for what he estimated as the 40th year, Hon. John Gallaspy recited "In Flanders fields." Canadian physician and Lt. Col. John McCrae is popularly believed to have written it on May 3, 1915 after he witnessed the death of his friend, Lt. Alexis Helmer, 22, the day before.


The poppies referred to in the poem grew in profusion in Flanders in the disturbed earth of the battlefields and cemeteries where war casualties were buried and thus became a symbol of Remembrance Day — the predecessor of Memorial Day.


Prior to Mr. Gallaspy's recitation, Girl Scouts placed poppies on the graves in the Veterans Plot.

Some of the veterans in attendance at Monday's
Memorial Day observance at Ponemah Cemetery.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

Placing poppies on graves.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

Among those in attendance were a number of veterans, including Norma Paige Jenkins, who was an Army nurse in the Pacific Theatre.


"We worked in the evacuation arena,” she told wpnewsblog. "We saw the worst of the worst."


She said she remembered Aug. 6, 1945, when the Japanese city of Hiroshima was destroyed by an atomic bomb.


"We knew when we heard the bomb had been dropped that we would be coming home," she said. "I wondered how we could be so happy (at the news of so many deaths), but we were ... we were going home!"


(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogspot.com)

Memorial Day an observance, not a holiday

The word "holiday" conjures up a trip to the beach, presents under the Christmas tree or hunting eggs while humming "Here comes Peter Cottontail."


It should not, however, cause one to think of American flags on graves in a cemetery or the playing of "Taps" or the firing of a 21-gun salute.


Memorial Day is not a holiday, yet thanks to members of Congress looking for a long weekend, it was moved from May 31 to the lasy Monday in May


Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country and some think it is a day for honoring veterans.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."

The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day.

As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."

Thankfully, Bogalusa and Washington Parish have not forgotten. No, there won't nearly be enough people at Ponemah Cemetery at 6 p.m. Monday, but those present will know why they are there and they understand the significance of the solemn observance.

When Hon. John Gallaspy recites "In Flanders Fields" there will be those who know and understand ... who form a mental picture of a poppy and a battlefield grave of rifle stuck in ground with helmet resting on the bayonet.

And when those haunting strains of "Taps" reach across the gardens of stone that make up Ponemah, others will feel their eyes grow damp as tears well up at the thought of a loved one who went away, never to return and there are the shudders that simply can't be willed away when the rifles sound in 21-gun salute, their retort bouncing off the pines.

I suppose it's hard for something so somber to compete with the start of summer ... hamburgers and hot dogs and a trip to the river or the beach ... and it should have never been placed in such a position.

But rather than bemoan that fact, let's be thankful for those who served so that those who may never understand what Memorial Day is all about will have the opportunity to do their thing ... because had they not given their all, we might not have the opportunity to gather in their honor.

Hooah ... hoorah ... huzzah ... Semper Fi ... and God bless.

(The segment on the creation of the three-day weekend around Memorial Day was taken from http://www.usmemorialday.org)

Bogalusa's Memorial Day observance set Monday

Beginning at 6 p.m. Monday at the new veteran's section at Ponemah Cemetery, local officials and citizens will gather to honor those who served their country.

One change, this year, is that local Boy Scouts will not conduct a retirement ceremony for American flags that have become soiled or torn. Instead, local Scouts will serve as the color guard for the ceremony.

Mayor Charles Mizell will deliver the official welcome to the observance and local attorney John Gallaspy will recite "In Flanders Fields," perhaps the best known of all poems relating to war.

The ceremony will be closed with the playing of "Taps" and the firing of a 21-gun salute by the honor guard of Magic City Post 24 of the American Legion.

The observance ceremony is open to the public and persons planning to attend are reminded of the need to bring a chair.

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.com)