When Navy veteran Waddie Weir got a letter from Newton County Elementary School in December, he didn’t know what to expect.
The Newton County native was pleasantly surprised when we opened up his mail. Kim Lampton’s kindergarten class at Newton Elementary had sent him a picture of the class and a couple of handwritten letters by students thanking Weir for his service to his country.
“I just started crying when I got the letter,” Weir said. “I’ve never received a letter like that in all my life. When I got back after being in the service, no one ever came up and thanked me for my service. That meant so much to me that I knew I had to do something to thank them.”
Weir set up a visit with the classroom last week and invited a couple of friends from the Newton County American Legion Post 89 to talk with the students about the military, veterans and the American Legion.
And Weir even gave each of the students a present.
“I ordered them some Navy hats,” Weir said. “I showed them how to put them on, and I told them a story about what I do with my Navy hat. I always hang it up in my house, and people always ask about it. Then I told them that I was in the service and what I did. I told them that they can hang it up in their room, and then they can tell everyone who gave it to them and tell them about what they learned about veterans.”
Lampton said the letters were a class project before Christmas, and they just wanted to thank local veterans for their service.
