LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / March 25, 2000

World War II veterans need a monument in Washington D.C., and fifth-graderJoey Mahler of Ethel Schoeffner Elementary School in Destrehan heard the call by raising nearly $1,000 so far toward that memorial.

Joey, the 11-year-old son of Dennis and Cheryl Brou Mahler of Destrehan, began his fund-raising drive as a social studies project titled “Raising Money to Raise a Memorial.”As part of his project the fifth-grader personally raised $40, but he wasn’t satisfied there. With the permission of principal Carrie Gaten he launched aschoolwide penny drive – yes, penny drive – and raised a whopping $831.91.Classes competed to contribute the most money, with one class raising $111.47 alone.”One boy was sick but came to school anyway to make his donation,” Joey recalled.

“We were truly surprised,” Gaten commented. “It was almost exclusivelypennies.”Joey’s grandfather, Joe Brou, served during the war in the U.S. Coast Guard.An uncle, Warren, and an aunt, Alice Eliasson, also contributed to the war effort, he in the Army and she as an Army nurse.

Joey already knew a lot about World War II and the monument fund-raising drive, as his grandfather is an area field representative for the drive, which needs to raise $100 million before the building permit can be issued in May.

So far, more than $80 million has been raised across the country.

Joey’s patriotism manifests itself in many ways. A Boy Scout, he is (with hissister, Sharie, 9) one of “The Liberty Kids” who performs patriotic songs at area senior centers.

The National World War II Memorial will be the first national memorial dedicated to all who served during that war. It will be designed to honor allmilitary veterans, citizens on the home front, the nation at large and the high moral purpose and idealism that motivated the call to arms.

The monument will be located on the National Mall in Washington D.C. betweenthe Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Groundbreaking isplanned for Veterans Day 2000.

National chairman of the memorial’s fund-raising campaign is former U.S.Sen. Bob Dole.Everyone can make tax-exempt contributions to the campaign and get more information from the internet at www.wwiimemorial.com.Every donor of at least $20 will be listed as a charter member of the World War II Memorial Society. A $20 donation will earn for the donor a subscriptionto the memorial newsletter and a membership card. A $35 donation will earnthe above-listed items, plus a specially-designed lapel pin.

A $100 donation will earn for the donor all of the above, plus a large-scale limited-edition print of the memorial, suitable for framing. A $500 donationwill earn for the donor all of the above, plus a print of Norman Rockwell’s famous painting, “The Homecoming.”Locally, more information is available by calling 764-7677.

“When I grow up, I want to go to the Air Force Academy in Colorado,” Joey said.

He’s already got that spirit of America.

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