The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
High school unfurls new flag in gym, honors veterans
A first unfurling of a retractable flag honored Army SSG James P. Hunter October 3 at Firelands High School.
An alumnus, Hunter died at age 25 on June 18, 2010, while serving as an Army photojournalist in Afghanistan.
He coined the phrase, “To tell a soldier’s story, you have to fight by his side,” said his youngest brother, Timothy Hunter.
American Legion Riders and other veterans organizations, including 2017 Lorain County Veteran of the Year Joe Horvath, attended the event and stood at attention, saluting the flag.
Macey Butchko sang the national anthem.
And Firelands and Brookside varsity volleyball teams stood at attention as well.
Hunter’s mother, Patty Hunter, smiled through tears as she walked out of the gymnasium and said she appreciated the ceremony.
“Heartfelt, since the Firelands community remembers James and all our service members and our veterans,” Hunter said. “I’m just choked up right now.”
Kathy Thomas from Sheffield Township is James Hunter’s sister. There are six siblings in their family with James as second oldest, she said. She appreciated the ceremony.
“It’s just really nice of Firelands to honor James,” Thomas said. “They have done it since the beginning. They brought food to our house and everything.”
Seventeen-year-old senior Samantha Ives is secretary of Junior Statesmen of America, a student group with 22 members at Firelands High School that helped raise the $4200 for the flag.
The group also hopes to attend a Mock Congress in Washington, D.C., as an educational experience to promote political awareness, Samantha said.
JSA advisor and Firelands High School teacher Joe Miller said community members and veterans organizations willingly donated money to buy the flag.
“There are many of us here who believe our flag should continue to be respected,” Miller said. “It all came together with an amazing outpouring of support. And (Hunter’s) family allowed us to honor a former student. He gave his all.”
John Sekletar is a veteran whose son, Amherst artist Mike Sekletar, paints military murals in Northeastern Ohio.
Sekletar said the final mural for Park Avenue in Amherst features 10 of 12 Lorain County service members killed during the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.
Family members of the other two service members could not be located to ask permission, Sekletar said.
Hunter’s portrait is included, he said.
Painting of the mural begins any day, with a goal of completing the mural before a Veterans’ Day ceremony 11 a.m. Nov. 11 on Park Avenue in Amherst, Sekletar said.
Mike Sekletar’s most recently completed mural is on the Valor Home at W. 21st Street and Reid Avenue, he said.
An alumnus, Hunter died at age 25 on June 18, 2010, while serving as an Army photojournalist in Afghanistan.