Carolyn M. Appleton

Memorial Day 2012 ~ A Personal Story

Or, “Care packages, a mother (who is not one), and Facebook”

One of the most rewarding things I have ever done as a volunteer is to send care packages to a soldier while he was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom. At the top is a photograph of his platoon in 2008. My soldier is crouched down in the front row, at the far left. You can see him in the two other photographs as well.

Each time I prepared to mail a package over, I would spend quite a bit of time figuring out what to enclose. I included some genuinely useful (and tasty) items, but also some humorous gifts to make him smile.

Eventually, I thought to include a business card with my e-mail address, and he was then able to e-mail to let me know when a package had arrived. This was admittedly a relief, as for a time I was not sure if the packages ever “got there.”

My soldier would report on some of the items that he particularly enjoyed, among them a quirky, artful wind-up toy I found at a local art museum gift shop; a battery-operated fan into which you pour water to create a cool breeze and mist (great for life in a hot tank when cruising across the desert); a “camo” baseball cap emblazoned with the orange Texas “longhorn logo” of UT; a reflective votive candle holder and candles, for a cozy night in the tent; and “Superman” bandaids (just in case).

One day a year or so later, Mother’s Day arrives. I am not myself a mother, but to my surprise, I received a huge bouquet of long stem, multicolored roses and a Mother’s Day greeting. I tell you, this bouquet was truly astonishing.

The roses were from my soldier who wanted to thank me for all the “care packages,” which by this time I really enjoying filling-up and sending off to him in Iraq. As it happens, my soldier about the age of a son, if I’d had one.

I’ll never forget that thoughtful gift.

Today, thanks to Facebook, the soldier found me this year. We lost touch for a couple of years when he was moved to a new and more confidential location, and I was prevented from sending more “care packages.”

My soldier is still on the other side of the world, but we can keep in touch online, and that is a genuine treat.

Happy Memorial Day to all the soldiers in our lives ~ those we are grateful to have with us still living and well, and Memorial Day prayers for those we have lost over time.

Follow this link to reach History.com and the story of Memorial Day: history.com/topics/memorial-day-history, and click here for the website of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Operation New Dawn): usf-iraq.com/.

TOMS Style Your Sole Event ~ Neiman Marcus La Cantera

“A Style Your Sole party is people coming together to express themselves and help children in need by customizing their own blank, canvas TOMS.”

Follow this link for more information: toms.com/style-your-sole.

On May 26, 2012, Neiman Marcus teamed-up with TOMS to host such an event in San Antonio at The Shops at La Cantera. A classy way to showcase the event concept and to “do good” at the same time ….

The Late Melvin P. Sikes, Ph.D.

This Tumblr is an update and re-write of an earlier posting in 2011.

I met Mel and Zeta in the early 1980s. I had been approved for graduate study in art history at The University of Texas at Austin. Being penniless but a promising young scholar, I obtained a variety of part-time jobs to put me through school (along with a student loan now long since repaid to Uncle Sam). 

One of those jobs was working for Mel at his office in the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education. Mel had his office next door to Kinky Friedman’s father, Tom, in fact (also a highly regarded professor). 

Mel and I became fast friends, and eventually I met his wife, Zeta, who is shown above in the photographs by Ave Bonar. The photos were taken during my wedding reception at Caswell House in Austin in 1984.

Mel and I knew one another for 30 years. You can read a biographical sketch in the Austin American-Statesman, posted after his peaceful death at home on May 16, 2012: statesman.com/news/local/melvin-sikes-tuskegee-airman-and-retired-ut-professor-2364186.html.

The color photograph above is a humble Instagram by me of his memorial service, which was very well done by First English Lutheran Church in Austin (felcaustin.org/). I was honored by Zeta to sit in the front row with she and other family members during the service. Memorial donations should be made to First English Lutheran, or the church of your choice.

Mel was a Tuskegee Airman and Professor Emeritus of UT. He was well-known for tackling tough race relations issues.

Mel’s book (with Joe Feagin), Living with Racism, is a classic. Once you read it, you won’t soon forget it. The book gives you a clear sense of what racism is like, from the standpoint of those who have experienced it. I am honored to have my own autographed copy. You can acquire it by following this link: http://amzn.to/tpXxoD.