The 2024 Grant Sweet Memorial Essay Contest was a huge success! This contest encourages our local students to engage with, and learn from, our local service men and women. The Grant Sweet Memorial Essay Contest is held in memory of Grant Sweet, Cromaine’s former Building Manager, who was deeply committed to honoring our local veterans.
This year, we asked participants in grades 7-12 to interview a local veteran or active-duty service person and write a short essay on the theme “What it means to serve your country". We received many thoughtful and well-written entries, and offered prizes to the top three finalists.
In honor of Veterans Day on November 11, the Library hosted a gathering in the Community Room to offer contest winners the chance to read their essays aloud and to receive their prizes. It was a very special evening for our contest winners and their families, as well as the local veterans present. See each winning essay below!
Gold Medal Winner: Ryan Schlosser
Hi, my name is Ryan Schlosser, I had a chance to interview my favorite veteran, my gramps, Kenneth Wayne Barth. Gramps was in the Navy on the USS Bronson a destroyer in the Vietnam War. Gramps was in the military from April 15, 1968, through January 19, 1972. He was stationed at Da Nang from April 1, 1970, to April 1, 1971, and spent time with the Navy Reserves until 1974. He went through a class A school. He worked with the Army while in the Navy in the supply industry. He supplied all non-ammunition; like food, ponchos, raincoats, and any other necessities that the soldiers would need.
When I asked Gramps what it meant for him to serve in the military, he said “When looking back it was an honor to serve in the military and to serve the country.” I am also so proud that he did.
We also talked about how he and our family felt about him being in the military. He told me that he was scared. His mom (my great-grandma) didn’t want to see Gramps go into the Navy. He followed his older brother Fred (my great-uncle) who was also in the Navy. His sisters told him they were proud and couldn’t wait for him to come back home. I’m sure that he wasn’t the only one, there were a lot of soldiers, and their family members were scared too.
We talked about what he thought about me joining the military. He told me “You will take orders, it will be hard, but just enjoy it while you’re there because you will meet a lot of people and see a lot of new things.” I love traveling and seeing new places, so that was good to hear.
This is why I chose my gramps for this interview. Thanks, Gramps. I love you.
Silver Medal Winner: Andrew Van Huis
“Learn to listen to older people,” these are the words of advice Mr. Timothy Lambert told me. Timothy Lambert joined the U.S. Army Corps at 17 and served valiantly for three years in the Vietnam War. He first joined F Company of the 51st LRP (long range patrol) which was one of the first LRP units established in Vietnam. Then after a few months F Company disbanded, and he was later sent over to O Company of the 75th Rangers. He was a part of the Tet Offensive and many of the places he served in were often swampy or were on water. His meritorious service earned him two Purple Hearts by being wounded in action and one Bronze Star for his heroic actions. Once the soldiers returned from Vietnam, he recalls that the public response was unsupportive toward the troops due to the unpopularity of the Vietnam War. Today he uses his experiences to help other veterans suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) or suicide.
Mr. Lambert was proud of his service and viewed it as a good deed to help his country. Although he saw many negative things in the Army, he always tried to turn them into a positive experience and strived to learn from them. His advice to anyone who wants to join the military is that it is a good opportunity to gain experience taking orders. I learned from his experiences that even though there are many unpleasant things that happen, you always must find something good in it.
Bronze Medal Winner: Gabriel Bliss
Courage Conquers Calamity
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." (John F. Kennedy) Robert (Bob) Gauthier lived this tenet as he served his country in the National Guard.
When Robert was nineteen years old, civil rights riots broke out in cities across America. While most men his age resisted entering the military, this teenager embraced it ad signed up for basic training. "My dad fought in World War 2. I wanted to serve my country too." (Robert Gauthier) However, when his father learned his son had enlisted, he was grieved and stated, "I have served enough for the next three generations!" Despite his parent's concern, Gauthier completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri then transferred to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for artillery school. From 1960 until 1966 Sergeant Gauthier served in the Army National Guard in Michigan where he was deployed to Grand Rapids to provide disaster relief after a tornado, and to Hillsdale to restore order after the tragic Essex Wire strike.
After his discharge in 1966, Bob continued to apply the skills he learned as a guard. Mr. Gauthier showed insight and determination to resurrect a failing shoe store, courage to single-handedly arrest violent criminals as a policeman, and all of these skills combined to provide spiritual support to fellow veterans as a VFW chaplain. I learned from Robert Gauthier that if I give it my all I can be a force for good too.
Our partners at the American Legion, past Commander of the American Legion Post 415 Doug Kuhn and local veteran Robert Gauthier, Senior, assisted us in presenting the awards to the contest winners, and also generously donated the medals that each winner received. They also helped to rank the top three essays, as their unique perspective is invaluable. We are also grateful to the Friends of Cromaine Library for their generous donation of prize money for our winners.
Thank you to all of our local students who entered the 2024 Grant Sweet Memorial Essay Contest! All of our entries showed the incredible reward of communicating and connecting with our veterans. We are proud to host this contest in honor of those who serve, and want to thank all of our veterans, past and present, for the time and talent that they dedicate to protecting our country.