Contributed
The Kiwanis Club of Elizabethtown and the East and West Bladen High School Key Clubs met this month to discuss the Can Food Drive and to hear from Edward “Ed” Tatum about his service as a Tomb Guard Sentinel.
Key Club members confirmed the can food drive at both schools is underway. Students at each school will collect canned food for local food banks through November 21, 2022. The school that collects the most cans will receive a trophy from the Kiwanis Club.
In addition, if both schools collect a combined total of 5,000 cans, each school will receive a donation of $100 from the Kiwanis Club. Canned food donations may be dropped off at East Bladen High School, West Bladen High School, or 1110 S. Poplar Street in Elizabethtown.
The club members did not just discuss business. They listened while Ed Tatum gave a presentation about his service as a Tomb Guard Sentinel in 1972 and 1973.
He said, “I had the honor of being selected as the 134th member of the Old Guard.”
The Army’s elite 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, was assigned to stand vigil over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The remains are of unknown soldiers representing the two World Wars and the Korean War, and a tomb in memory of all U.S. service members killed or missing in action in the Vietnam War.
Tatum explained strict rules and regulations bind the sentinels. Sentinels are military honor guards, and their job is to honor the unknown remains of service members.
Tatum displayed his Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge. The badge is the third-least awarded badge in the U.S. Military.
According to Tatum, Elizabethtown natives hold two of the three least awarded U.S. Military badges. The Astronaut Badge was awarded to Bladen County native Astronaut Colonel Curtis Brown, and Tatum has the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge.
Tatum lives with his wife, Pam, in Elizabethtown and owns a car dealership in Lumberton. They have three grown children. Tatum is also a soloist with the Wilmington Celebration Choir.
Before adjourning, President of the Kiwanis Club, Dr. Lisa Bryan, recognized Kiwaninan Michael Aycock for receiving the George F. Hixson Fellow medal. Aycock received the award for his contributions to the Kiwanis Club.
Related articles:
https://bladenonline.com/
About Author
