On the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 10, the children of Immaculate Conception School boarded ferry boats to Put-in-Bay bright and early with the intention to be a part of something much bigger than they could even imagine. These students, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,and 5th graders, were about to be a part of a historical ceremony and a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives- the Bicentennial Of the Battle of Lake Erie, Sept. 10, 2013.
The Immaculate Conception Parish Bell Choir had been invited to take part in the Battle of Lake Erie Stamp First Day of Issue Ceremony, as well as the Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial Program. The bell choir performed both the musical prelude and the National Anthems to the crowd for the stamp ceremony which took place in the morning. They then returned in the afternoon to ring the bells in a cadence style for the processional for the Bicentennial Program.
The Bell Choir is made up of eight 4th and 5th grade children under the Direction of George and Mary Krejci. The choir had practiced all summer for their performance at the bay. Members of IC Bell Choir are: Benjamin Cadigan, Alyssa Diaz, Arianna Carter ,Jacob Fleck , Adrianna Hummel, Ella Roberts, Emily Theibert, and Ryan Zam. It was truly an honor for the children to perform on the anniversary of such an important event in our nation’s history and they truly made their parish proud with their exceptional performance.
The rest of their classmates were on hand to watch the performance of the bell choir and then it was on to study and truly take in the impact of the War of 1812 and specifically, the Battle of Lake Erie and what this battle meant to our county. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders visited the Perry‘s Victory and International Peace Memorial and Visitor’s Center and the Lake Erie Islands Historical Museum. They had the opportunity to feel the importance of the Battle of Lake Erie and gained a respect for Oliver Hazard Perry’s “never give up” philosophy. They also gained a new appreciation and respect for peace and the truly unique relationship between the United States and Canada. The students had the opportunity to meet and talk to characters from the past and members of several of our military branches. Some even got a lesson in military marching and formation in front of Perry’s Monument.
The day wouldn’t have been complete without Frosty’s Pizza, Ice Cream from Dairy Isle, and some fun in the park. The “forgotten war” will truly never be forgotten by this group of Immaculate Conception students as it was a memorable experience to be at Put-in-Bay on Sept. 10, two hundred years after a battle that happened so close to “home”.