This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the November 19, 2009 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

The Salyersville Independent  is a weekly newspaper published and edited by Michael David Prater, P. O. Box 29, Salyersville, KY 41465. Telephone (606) 349-2915.  Yearly subscription rates are $24.00 in Kentucky and $30.00 per year out of state.

            Last week Carter and Vivian Conley, their friend Lois Dunn and I started on a trek to the spring at the head of Licking River.  We got all the way up on Mason when Carter received a call that someone had to be transported by helicopter so we turned and came back.  Carter suited up in his Rescue Squad uniform and we waited until the chopper picked up the patient and was on their way.  We then started back up Licking River and visited this natural spring, which is the beginning of the Licking River.  We found that the dry weather and nature had caused the spring to bubble up about a hundred feet down from the original site.

            On our way back down the creek we stopped at one of the most beautiful church buildings in our county, pastored by the late Virgil and Martha Handshoe’s daughter Charlene Osborne.  Evening services had just closed but we were invited to come in and Charlene took us all on a tour of the church.  I have visited the church several times and am always mightily impressed, as were Carter, Vivian and Lois on their first time visit.

            Thanksgiving is just a week away and there are a large number of things we can be thankful for.  First and foremost, we still live in a God-fearing country with freedom of speech.  Sometimes we sit around and gripe about the high cost of living and the slowdown of the economy, etc. but we have so much for which to be grateful.    

            We are thankful this year for the clear water flowing in Ol’ Licking this fall as in the last few years the water level was so low the water turned black when the leaves fell. And on a lighter note, another small thing to be thankful for is that the great hoards of ladybugs that came out of the woodlands and into our homes for the past several years have greatly diminished or found new homes.

            During this Veteran’s Day time period we are reminded again of just how very thankful and grateful we are for those men who fought for our freedom from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Spanish-American War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War and right down to the present-day troops currently fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

            What I’m leading up to is so many lives have been lost to retain the freedom we enjoy today although some think our freedoms has deteriorated to some extent.  We need to honor all our troops, especially for those who didn’t live to become veterans.  Many are buried in foreign soil. 

            This Veteran’s Day, November 11^th, 2009, our DAV Chapter was invited to the Salyersville Elementary School for a program.  From there we went to visit the North Magoffin Elementary School.  A special lunch had been prepared for us at the Senior Citizen’s center and we all enjoyed it so much!  From there, we traveled to the South Magoffin Elementary School, ending up at the Veteran’s monument in Ramey Park to do a twenty-one gun salute to all those whose names are inscribed, plus all those who have participated from the time of the Minute Men to the troops presently serving in our armed forces. 

            Our DAV members showed our school children how to properly fold the American Flag, plus gave a few pep talks of how to show respect for “Old Glory”.  The highlight of our visit was being entertained by the students themselves.  I was amazed when I saw and heard little Kindergarten students singing “I’m Proud to be an American”.  It would have brought tears to anyone’s eyes and I shed a drop or two.  The Happy Veteran’s Day cards made by the students themselves and given to us are a treasure.  I have about a dozen, a sample one reads: “Dear Veterans, I’m so happy to have freedom!!! I’m very glad you are here, if it weren’t for you, we may not have been here today.  Thank you for freedom!!!” 

            Some of our oldest living veterans came out with our group to show pride and support, namely Arlie Barnett, Ramey Montgomery and Carl Montgomery.  We salute you! 

            We look forward to an even more spectacular Veteran’s Day celebration in 2010 during Magoffin County’s Sesquicentennial year.  Let us begin planning for this now.  We need your ideas and help.