Cazenovia American Legion Post 88 has a new picture adorning its walls: a drawing by a young local girl thanking soldiers for protecting this country. Unfortunately, the members of the Legion do not know who the girl was.
Post 88 member Sal Giardina was selling poppies in front of Community Bank, N.A., on Memorial Day when a young girl — maybe eight years old, he said — came up to him with her mother and asked him, “Are you a soldier?” When he replied, “I was,” she handed him a hand-drawn picture of two soldiers standing under the American flag, with a blue sky background. The picture said, “Thank you for protecting our country.”
“We thought it was really good,” Giardina said, and so has everyone he has since shown the picture to.
Post 88 Commander Dick Benner said the picture was so touching that they have decided to hang it on the wall inside the American Legion post on Chenango Street. “It’s encouraging to know young people realize veterans are making sacrifices and what Memorial Day is all about,” he said.
Unfortunately, the girl and her mother left immediately after handing Giardina the picture, so he did not learn her name.
“I’d like to contact her and give her a letter in return,” Giardina said.
If anyone knows who the young girl was who gifted her picture to veteran Sal Giardina on Memorial Day, it is asked they contact Post 88 Commander Dick Benner at [email protected].
