August 2 – August 11 at the Indiana State Fair

Remembering Our Fallen is a photographic war memorial that honors our country’s military who have fallen from The War on Terror since September 11, 2001. Unlike brick and mortar memorials, Remembering Our Fallen is designed to travel and includes both military and personal photos honoring the men and women who lost their lives for our country.

The memorial was created by Bill and Evonne Williams. The Williams’ hope was to honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, to provide comfort to friends and family of our fallen and to remind others of the tremendous cost paid by some. The inspiration for this project came from a story in the Omaha World-Herald about a father whose pain and grief were even greater four years after his son had died in Iraq because he felt his son had been forgotten…and the war was not even over.

To that end, the Williams decided to take action. In November 2010, with the backing of the Omaha World-Herald newspaper and financial support of several sponsors, including Bellevue University, Bill and Evonne created the traveling photo memorial. This memorial included photos of the fallen who had died since September 11, 2001, and called Nebraska home. Over the next few years the Williams decided to create memorials for other states as well.

After completing 19 state memorials, the focus shifted to one National Memorial to encompass the fallen from across the country.  This national memorial was unveiled in September 2017 at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., and continues to tour the nation (schedule here), giving Americans across the country the opportunity to honor our fallen.

The National Remembering Our Fallen is scheduled at the Indiana State Fair from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on August 2 through August 11. This is the first time that the national exhibit has been in Indiana. Visitors will help fulfill the purpose of the exhibit in that a Gold Star’s family eternal hope is that their loved ones will never be forgotten.

Indiana Remembering Our Fallen

In the Spring of 2015, the Williams sought to find a host for the Remembering Our Fallen from Indiana. Easterseals Crossroads Veteran Services stepped in and has been honored to host the Indiana exhibit and tour with it.

The Indiana Remembering Our Fallen can be scheduled within our state for display. Buzz Smith, who manages the display, can deliver, set up and take down the indoor display.

“Our hope for the Indiana exhibit is that ​people will never take their freedom for granted and know that they are being protected at all costs. Hoosiers should feel safer knowing that there are many more of these heroes all around the world that have given up everything so that we can feel safe at home,” said Buzz.

Buzz Smith, Veteran Resource Navigator, Easterseals Crossroads

Easterseals Crossroads helps veterans in our community in a variety of ways. We recognize the needs facing military families and veterans as they reintegrate into their communities after serving our country. To that end, we are ready, able and committed to the service of veterans and their families with the depth of support that they deserve.

Contact us for more information about veteran services at Easterseals Crossroads.

Social Skill Development through Play with Parents

contributed by Emmaleigh Badeaux, MA, LMHCa, and Tracy Gale, PsyD, HSPP, Easterseals Crossroads

Parents can serve as ideal playmates to improve children’s social skills through play. Here are some things to keep in mind to increase your child’s social learning:

• Provide specific praise during appropriate social behaviors, such as sharing, taking turns, and staying calm when things don’t go their way. For example, you may say, “I love how you stayed calm when your tower fell down!” Using specific praise during play, and throughout the day, is an excellent way to teach pro-social skills and build your child’s self-esteem at the same time.
• Play with creative toys, such as blocks, trains, and crayons, to allow for increased engagement, collaborative play, and improved problem solving. This provides opportunities for practicing the skills they will use when playing with their peers. You can model play skills, saying things like, “I’d really like to play with the red train. Could you hand that to me, please?”
• If your child engages in inappropriate behavior that is not dangerous during play, ignore it for the moment. Later, when he or she is calm, you can briefly discuss how their behavior made you feel to help build their understanding that others have thoughts about their behaviors. You may say things like, “When you took that train from me without asking, it made me feel sad and like you didn’t want to play with me.” Then, help your child come up with ideas about what they could do differently next time, such as, “When I want something from a friend, I ask them if I could take a turn.” After this short conversation, be sure to provide specific praise when they appropriately use the skill that you discussed.
• When in doubt, do what they’re doing! Be engaged in the play, even if you only have a few moments. Try to be enthusiastic and get animated! By being fun and silly, you are strengthening your bond with your child and increasing their understanding of social relationships and interaction.