Terrie White recognized at veterans luncheon

Above, Brig. Gen. Michael Dornbush, chief of staff of the Kentucky National Guard, surprises White with a Kentucky Colonel commission presented on behalf of Gov. Steve Beshear. -Bobbie Foust / Herald Ledger

Air Force veteran Buddy Smith, Lyon County Legionaries, teachers, students and school staff turned the tables on Terrie White on Friday.
White, teacher of Lyon County Elementary School’s gifted and talented program and technology integration specialist, started a veteran’s appreciation program in her fourth grade classroom in 2000. Eleven veterans attended, last year it had grown to 142, and Friday more than 225 veterans and their spouses attended the 10th annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon and Program.
But a surprise was in store not only for the veterans but also for White.
Smith, a longtime mover and shaker in western Kentucky, arranged for Brig. Gen. Michael Dornbush, Kentucky National Guard Chief of Staff, to helicopter in from Frankfort expressly to commission White a Kentucky Colonel on behalf of Gov. Steve Beshear, and to speak to veterans and students.
“I was overwhelmed, speechless — it’s been 10 years, and I’ve tried to get recognition for the veterans and I never even thought about me being recognized. It never crossed my mind,” White said. “In my mind this program and luncheon is all about the veterans. I’ve been in veterans mode since back in the summer — bouncing ideas off Jackie (Bader, her twin) — I bounced ideas for the program off Jackie all summer, and it just finally all seemed to come together.”
All involved in the secret of recognizing White knew it would not take place until the students completed their program. White herself had no clue until the moment it happened.
But there was more preceding the general’s presentation.
Legionnaries Rick and Pat Gill, and Paula Stafford, recognized White with a Commendation for Meritorious Service and a bouquet of red, white and blue flowers from American Legion Post 68 for her “outstanding public service benefiting our community, state and nation.”
Stafford and Smith were among the veterans at that first program.
The unusualness of the event was how completely those involved in carrying out the surprises kept White in the dark until the moment it happened.
Earlier as the veterans began arriving, White overheard a student mentioned something about a helicopter arriving.
“I said, ‘What helicopter?’” White asked the child.
“Well, everybody knew about it but you,” replied one fourth grader.
“But I still didn’t realize what it was all about,” White said, adding that when she realized the general had flown in, she assumed he came for the veterans and perhaps had a grandchild, niece or nephew in the program
Then after the students performed, the Legionnaries stepped forward, and following them, Dornbush spoke briefly commending the students and calling the program “world class.”
As he was closing, his aide handed him a framed document and he called White forth. Tears welled in her eyes, and she was speechless.