Greencastle Mayor Ben Thomas Jr.
It’s a rainy Wednesday afternoon just two days after Christmas as I author this very special message due to the Echo Pilot’s holiday schedule. I hope you made some wonderful memories with your family and friends. The family room is nice and warm as the days are now steadily getting longer with daylight! We’re about four months out from some serious porch sittin’.
So, I was going to write about the 2024 Greencastle budgets, however, I’ll defer for a few weeks as I want to write about a childhood memory of mine, supporting our local food banks and the Air Force pilot who started dropping gum and chocolates to the children of Berlin in 1948.
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Gail Halverson joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1942 and continued as a pilot when the Air Force was formed from the Army Air Corps. Prior to WW II, he joined a Utah squadron of the Civil Air Patrol. From conversing with children of Berlin through a fence in post war Germany he saw a great need. The Berlin Air Lift had begun as vital food was air dropped from United States military planes to the citizens of Berlin.
Halverson would air drop goodies for the children and quickly became known as the “candy bomber.” The military and candy companies like Hershey supported his efforts and the children knew that his plane would “wiggle its wings” prior to dropping candy, chocolate bars and chewing gum. Over the next 25 years “Colonel Halverson” would air drop goodies to children in six additional foreign nations. The Colonel logged 8,000 flying hours during his 32 years of military service and lived to the age of 101.
In listening to this story on WRGG early Christmas afternoon, I thought about my parents, who were Depression era children like Colonel Halverson. Both of my parents slept in a single bed with many brothers and sisters to stay warm as there was no heat on the second floor of their homes. There were 10 siblings in one family and nine in the other.
I grew up always observing my parents helping others, especially children. If you see me around town in that old truck, it was brand spankin’ new in 1964. Every year, just before Christmas, I would accompany Dad in that new truck as we ventured to the Variety Shoppe in downtown Hagerstown. We didn’t have shopping malls back then. We would load the bed of that truck with blankets and for hours, deliver them to families with children. In my adulthood, I realized why Dad did this. He slept in a cold bedroom as a child and he wanted the children of the 1960s to be warm.
Dad served in the Army Air Corps at the time of Colonel Halverson. In a way, that was Dad’s Berlin Air Lift as he would deliver blankets to needy children. He also passed out silver dollars. In my prayers, I thank my Mom and Dad for setting wonderful examples in my childhood.
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Now, how about our modern day “Greencastle Air Lift” as January is a time where our food banks have been depleted over the holiday season and are in need to replenish non-perishable food products or monetary donations. If you are able, remember the three food banks in town that I’m aware of. They are located at the Greencastle Presbyterian Church on West Baltimore Street, the Evangelical Lutheran Church on East Madison Street and Praying Time Ministries along Railroad Street. Thanks for considering supporting these or other food banks that may be located at churches in Antrim Township. Nourishment for our children and our senior citizens is so important.
Earlier this (Wednesday) afternoon I took grandson Grant downtown for a haircut and, oops, barbershops were closed. When I did Wednesday foot patrols decades ago, I called them “siesta afternoons.” So, why did stores close downtown on Wednesday afternoons a hundred years ago? We’ll visit the possible answer in a few weeks and review the 2024 budgets, I promise.
I do hope you’ll make more wonderful memories as we welcome a new year with the close of 2023. Because of Colonel Halverson and all those who provide for others, we are certainly blessed.
