National Landmark Gala Speech

Remarks made at the National Landmark Gala Dennison Railroad Depot Museum Thursday, August 11, 2011 Wendy R. Zucal, Director

At the end of WWII, the Salvation Army claimed it had served at least one cup of coffee to every serviceman and woman in the entire U.S. Armed Forces.

It’s such a simple thing. A hot cup of coffee. A smile.

But served to 16 million men and women in the military, a cup of coffee became an incredibly powerful good luck charm that we now know was carried in the hearts of the soldiers as they headed into battle.

The United States suffered over one million casualties in this war.

To the 700,000 wounded, that cup of coffee offered endless comfort.

And to the approximately 400,000 killed… that cup of coffee was a priceless memory to the families of the soldiers, and to the women that served them.

For the 14 million soldiers that survived the war, that cup of coffee was a celebration of life.
A life lived well following the war.

But, by the year 2000, there were only 5.7 million WWII Veterans still living in the United States.

According to statistics released by the Veteran’s Administration, there are only 2 million WWII Veterans left living today.

We are losing 900 a day.

I have been asked many times: “What will you do at the Depot when all the WWII soldiers are gone?”

My answer to them is: “They will never be gone.”

They will always be there in spirit…

Every day….

aswe continue to greet guests with a free cup of coffee and a cookie in the lobby,
and as we tell the tales of their courageous service and the railroad’s finest hour.

We are honored to do this. In their memory…and in the memory of the Canteen volunteers that served them…

At The Stage Door Canteen and North Platte – the 2 largest Canteens.

At the more than 125 canteens that operated across the country from California to Connecticut.
And we salute the State with the largest number of Trackside Canteens in the entire Country
THE GREAT STATE OF OHIO!

Patriotic folks winning the war at home by operating canteens at Crestline, Bellefontaine, Alliance, Troy, Bucyrus, Lima, Athens, Mansfield, Marion, Galion, Springfield ….and Dennison.

They are all now gone...except Dennison.

Dennison stands alone.

Standing up proudly for them all,…
as a beacon to our memories…
as a NATIONAL LANDMARK!

In an interview not shown in tonight’s film, the late Barb Maurer stated that her mission in helping to restore the Depot was to make sure it would get its rightful place in History.

To Barb, the hundreds of volunteers who helped restore the Depot: I think we have fulfilled your goal.

Throughout this process we also had a mission – a driving force, an urgency to reach this National Landmark Status so that we could have our day of celebration while we still have the opportunity to look into the eyes of those who were there and tell them:

Your sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Your legacy will be remembered.

Your story will always be told.

Finally…Today is that day. That moment is now. I invite you to join me saluting these American heroes.

(Open stage to reveal WWII Veterans and Canteen Volunteers while Charlene Kehl sings God Bless American, school children dressed patriotically come down aisles with flags, and non-WWII Veterans surround the WWII veterans with flags for a special salute.)