A gift from a fatherless child brings Marine to tears

Members of Lebanon American Legion Post 214 Jerry Kibbey, left, and James Cray lay a wreath at Lebanon's War Memorial outside Town Offices on Upper Guinea Road in Lebanon on Monday. (Harrison Thorp photos)

Don Lovely, commander of the Lebanon American Legion Post 214, spoke on Monday of a young boy who earlier this month had found $20 in the parking lot of a Midwest restaurant. He was excited as he had a video game in mind he wanted to buy.
As the 8-year-old ate lunch with his family inside he noticed a Marine sitting nearby having lunch with his family.
Without thinking, he got up, walked over to the Marine, gave him the $20 with a note, and thanked him for his service to his country.
According to UPI, the note said, "Dear Soldier -- my dad was a soldier. He's in heaven now. I found this 20 dollars in the parking lot when we got here. We like to pay it forward in my family. It's your lucky day! Thank you for your service. Myles Eckert, a gold star kid."

The Marine at the table fought back tears as did many in the crowd at Town Offices on Monday.
The boy’s father died in Iraq five weeks after his son was born, Lovely told the crowd.  

Gold Star children are children who have lost a parent in combat.
The scenes of reverence, pride and gratitude were much the same in Milton and Rochester as all three towns took time out on Monday in solemn remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could remain free.
The ceremony at the Lebanon Town Offices was brief but poignant, ending with three salvos fired by Steve Wanager’s vintage cannon to honor our war dead.
The ceremony, which was organized by town resident Darryl Moore, opened with a prayer from Pastor Mark Kraines of the First Parish Congregational Church.
In Milton, Memorial Day services begin at 10 a.m. at American Legion Post 61, after which a parade marched to the Garage Way bridge that crosses into Lebanon for a memorial service for departed sailors.

Armed Forces members salute the flag at the Milton American Legion Post 61 during Memorial Day Services in Milton on Monday.

Afterward, the parade moved on to Milton Veterans Memorial Park, where another brief service was held.
The invocation at Post 61 was given by the Rev. Betsy Webber, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Post 61 Past Commander and former State Rep. Bob McKinley.
The Nute High School Band played a medley of inspirational and patriotic songs.
Other participants included members of the American Legion, VFW and Auxiliaries, Gold Star Mothers, Boy Scouts, Cub scouts, Milton School Unicycle Club, the Mary Torr Chapter of the DAR and Milton Fire Department. The Marshals of the Day were American Legion Post 61’s Herb Wolfinger, VFW Post 8393 Commander Pete Hayward, and VFW Post 7663 Commander Fred Guldbrandsen.
The Speaker of the Day was former New Hampshire State Police officer and Post 61 member David Duchesneau.
In Rochester, a parade marched from the Holy Rosary Church to the North Main Street Bridge where a service to honor departed sailors was held.
Among parade participants were the American Legion Riders of American Legion Post 7, the VFW, AMVETS, the Knights of Columbus, Elks Lodge 1393 and the Humane Lodge of Masons.
The Spaulding High School Marching Band played patriotic songs during the parade.