DONALD NEAL
(Nominated by Theresa Neal)
Soldiers Memorial
November 11, 2010
My son, Donald J. Neal, is a 16 year old student at Parkway Central High School in Chesterfield, Missouri. He is also a Boy Scout who holds the rank of life and is currently working on his Eagle Project. Both of his grandfathers are veterans, one in the Army Air Corps as a pilot and one who served two tours in Vietnam. He has always had an interest in military history and as a result, he took on the making of 400 archival uniform hangers for the preservation of war uniforms for the Soldiers Memorial and Military Museum here in St. Louis. It took him quite a while to find an Eagle project that suited his interest. My husband, family members, and I were very proud of the fact that he took on this project so he could help preserve a small part of the history he loves and a promise made to the veterans who donated their uniforms to the Soldiers Museum.
He has had to learn quite a bit about material, stitching and construction for the making of his archival hangers. He recently had a day off school because of teachers’ workshops but he was busy with volunteers making his hangers instead of hanging out with friends.
We are very proud of all the choices he makes and how he knows that life is about helping others and hard work. His service to his troop as a leader, a captain in his drum line of the marching band, and the character he projects as a young man is why his dad and I would like to nominate him with the honor of stitching The National 9/11 Flag here in St. Louis.
