By Staff
Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
Food and games in Falkville have made precious memories in Turkey.
The Falkville VFW 10774 Auxiliary decided more than a year ago to give a very special gift to American high school students stationed with their families on a military base in Turkey.
"They never had one before and never would have had one now if it weren't for us," Auxiliary Chairman of Publicity Nancy Train said as she admired the hardback yearbook for Incirlik American High School. "We raised the money so they could have a real yearbook like other American high school kids, not just a CD of pictures like they've had before."
The Auxiliary raised $1,800 through special bingo games and the sale of hotdogs at the Falkville VFW. The result was a 133 page, full color yearbook packed with photos of the students, teachers, staff, clubs, sports and student activities chronicling the 2004 school year.
"It's just beautiful," Auxiliary President Marjorie Cosper said. "American high schools in other countries can't have fundraisers like kids here, so we had the fundraisers for them. If you flip through the pages, you'll see where the students wrote little thank you notes to us."
Cosper's granddaughter, Stephanie Cosper, is a student at Incirlik American High School and was the layout editor for the yearbook.
"They're all just so proud of it," Cosper said. "And we are, too."
Post Quarter Master George Krigbaum was stationed at the military air base where the school is located near Adana, Turkey from 1962-65.
"Because I was there, I understand their struggles," Krigbaum explained. "That's what made this project so special to me."
And to show the Falkville VFW 10774 Auxiliary how special they are, the Incirlik American High School 2004 Yearbook has a two-page spread of photos of their sponsors.
"It was sweet of them to do that," Cosper said with a smile.