Surprise for returning soldier
On Friday, June 17, when Specialist Mark Wetmore-Kincaid returned to Ft. Campbell, Ky. from a one-year Afghanistan deployment with the 101st Airborne, he was not expecting to be met by any of his family.

The troops arrived at the airstrip at 1:10 a.m. and marched into the hangar where the cheering crowd awaited their arrival. When the troops were given permission to break rank, Mark looked up to see his parents, Chad and Sue Wetmore, of Northwood, and his grandmothers, Monica Carpenter and Connie Isbell waiting to welcome him.

Upon arrival at the hotel at 5:30 a.m., Mark was further surprised by his older brother, Staff Sgt. Ken Wetmore, his wife Heather and their daughter Lily, who had made the 12-hour drive from Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.

To add to the surprise, Mark’s younger brother, PV2 Greg Wetmore flew in from Ft. Bliss, Texas to celebrate his brother’s safe return.

For 24 hours, the three Wetmore brothers, all members of the U.S. Army, were together – a pleasure they had not had for more than a year.

Another surprise occurred while the entire family was dining at a Cracker Barrel Restaurant near Ft. Campbell. A woman approached the table and asked if the young men were active military (their haircuts gave them away). When they responded that they were, she told them she had just retired from the US Air Force, that her son was an active Marine and that her brother had been stationed at Ft. Campbell, but had been killed in conflict in 1985.

As a thank-you, she paid the bill for the entire family. The family was shocked and very moved by her generosity, according to Isbell, who added, “After she left, the waiter told the family in all the time he had worked at the restaurant, he had never seen such generosity.”

Spec. Mark Wetmore-Kincaid (center), who returned from a 12-month Afghanistan deployment, was surprised by his brothers SSgt. Kenneth Wetmore (left) and PV2 Gregory Wetmore.

Toastmasters celebrating 40 years
Great Eastern Toastmasters are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. Founding members included Jolene Weaver and East Toledo businessman Jim Szigeti, who first met at a dinner club.

Toastmasters is a communication and leadership organization with clubs worldwide that aid men and women in their pursuit of enhancing their presentation skills and leadership roles.

The club continues to meet the first and third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Bay Park Community Hospital in Oregon.

New members are welcome. Call Ken Sensel at 419-378-1777 to join or obtain more information.

Great Eastern Toastmasters members recognized at the District Conference include (from left) Kathy Varga, Elsie Harbour, Julie Gentry, Tony Slawinski and Nancy Zychowicz.

Board member elected
Carmen Beltran, of Wood County, was elected June 29 to the Board of Directors of WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc. She will complete a term recently vacated by Kellee Downard, which expires in December.

A Bowling Green resident, Beltran was elected to represent the low-income population of Wood County. Her son attended the Jordan Family Development Center in Bowling Green since he was a toddler.

Other members of the board representing Wood County include Jennifer Jabri and Mel Browning of Perrysburg; Bobbie Lane of Bowling Green, Dean King of Custar and Al Fosnaugh, of Fostoria.

The WSOS Board of Directors is comprised of six representatives from each of its four main counties of service, making it a total of 24 board members. Each board member serves on one or two of the board’s committees, which include the personnel, development, and finance committees. The board meets on the second Tuesday of each month except in July, August and December.

For more information on WSOS’s services, call 1-800-775-9767 or visit www.wsos.org.

Twirler competing
Last month, Kateri Schools eighth-grader Kylie Kerner competed at the Great Lakes Regional Championships, a competition held for baton twirlers from Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.

At Regionals, Kerner qualified to compete in the National Majorette contest at the NBTA Nationals, which will be held at the University of Notre Dame in July. While at Nationals, Kylie will also compete in several World Open events.

Kerner, who has been twirling for nine years, has won several State and Regional titles and is also a Jr. Olympic Gold medalist. She is coached by Candy Kimball, AnnNita McDonald, Jaymee Beard and Beverly Podbielniak. This fall, she will be twirling for the Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School marching band under the direction of Krysten Moore.

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