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December 13, 2008

By HEATHER PYLES, Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Sat Dec 13, 2008, 06:30 PM EST

Somerset — Numerous visitors gathered at Mill Springs this weekend for a ceremony meant to show that no one should be forgotten during the holidays — especially military veterans and those currently serving in the armed forces.

The Mill Springs National Cemetery in Nancy played local host to the national Wreaths Across America Ceremony Saturday, and despite the cold numerous visitors and participants attended the ceremony.

“It’s been growing every year and I hope it keeps growing,” said location leader Col. Mike Lodico. “It’s really wonderful to see everyone here, especially when you see those young kids getting involved.”

The event began 17 years ago when the Worcester Wreath Company began placing wreaths on the headstones of fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Saturday’s ceremony also saw the placement of a wreath at the headstone of Sgt. Brent Woods, who fought during the Indian Wars and received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1881 for the actions he undertook during a skirmish involving his detachment of soldiers and civilians and Apache Indians.

Woods’ remains were placed in an unmarked grave, only to be relocated to the Mill Springs National Cemetery in 1984 after a campaign was started to rebury his remains with full military honors.

Woods is the only person from Pulaski County to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor and the second African-American from Kentucky to do so.

Participants in the wreath laying included members of local Boy Scout Troop 81, a representative with the Kentucky State Troopers and members of Southwestern High School JROTC. Wreaths were placed at headstones in remembrance of those who served and are serving in the Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Merchant Marines and the Coast Guard. A wreath was also placed in remembrance of those servicemen and servicewomen who were last reported as missing in action of prisoners of war.

“This is especially near and dear to my heart,” Lodico said during the ceremony about the MIA and POW wreath.

The American Legion Post #38 Honor Guard also attended the ceremony and performed the 21-gun salute. Dr. Roger Lane also performed Taps.

Lodica said he and other volunteers with the event are hoping to raise funds that will allow the wreaths to be placed on more than just a few headstones.

“We would love to raise enough money to put a wreath on every grave,” Lodico said.

The Mill Springs ceremony was a cooperative effort on the part of the Patriot Guard Riders and the Rotary Club of Somerset, which Lodico said has been “fantastic” in its support of the event.

For more information on the event visit the non-profit organization’s Web site at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Contact information for those interested in donating to the event is available on the Web site.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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