World War II inspires 4-H award
|
|
Gene and Sharon Swachhamer haven't been
slowed by retirement, although they still manage to find time
to enjoy the comforts of life, like a rest on a bed of pine
straw at their rural Maryland home. Photo provided.
|
By Jennifer Glascock
Inspiration comes in many shapes and sizes. For Gene Swackhamer,
inspiration for creating the 4-H Salute to Excellence Award came in
the shape of a book and a plant.
Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation and a milkweed, to
be precise.
Even though he was not as old as the characters in Brokaw's
1998 best-seller, Swackhamer was impressed by the spirit of unity and
giving that arose from that era.
"I remember gathering milkweed pods as a boy back
in Indiana. This was part of the war effort, and the downy contents
of those pods were used as a substitute for cotton," he says.
Page 1 | Page
2
