By Jenna Buzzacco

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

For one former Marco Island resident, a visit back to his high school during graduation weekend was more than just a walk down memory lane.

Instead of sitting in the stands, Roy Eaton, a 1965 graduate of the New York Military Academy, spent the commencement ceremony on the stage with school officials congratulating the students as they got their diplomas.

Eaton was asked to give this year’s commencement address June 2. During the speech Eaton said he never thought school administrators would ask him to give a commencement speech.

“If someone told me 42 years ago that I would be asked to stand before you today to deliver your commencement address, and that I would accept such an invitation, I would have thought that person was totally insane,” Eaton said, according to a copy of the speech provided to the Marco Eagle.

“For like many of you today, in 1965 all I wanted to do was shed my uniform, flee the campus and get home as soon as possible, where I could thoroughly enjoy my new found freedom and rejoin the ranks of the civilian world.”

Eaton said he was thrilled to be asked to give the commencement address, during which he asked the graduates to take time reflect on their time at the academy before venturing into the world.

“I felt really at ease,” Eaton said during a phone interview Monday.

Ron Merletti, a former NYMA student and Eaton’s friend, said he drove from Massachusetts to be by Eaton’s side during the speech.

“Roy was an inspiration to me,” Merletti said.

 
The two met while they were attending the academy and kept in touch over the years. Merletti said nothing would’ve stopped him from attending the graduation ceremony.

“It was just outstanding, the only thing he didn’t do was walk on water,” Merletti said. “I don’t think any other (commencement) speaker spoke to them on that level before.”

New York Military Academy, located in Cornwall on Hudson, was founded nearly 120 years ago. The school accepts students from across the country into a six year program, that incorporates military training into the educational curriculum.

While attending the academy, Eaton served as a cadet captain during his senior year and received an award for his leadership skills.

Eaton told students it could take some time before they realize the lessons they learned at the academy. Eaton also challenged students to show passion in whatever path they may choose.

“I simply challenge each of you to be passionate in your every endeavor. Show passion toward those you love. Show passion toward your fellow man, especially toward those less fortunate than yourselves,” he said. “Show passion in your relationships with others; show passion in your work. And show passion in your love for your country, so that others will on day say of you: ‘you lived your life with great passion.’ “

© 2007 Marco Daily News and NDN Productions. Published in Marco Island, Florida, USA by the E.W. Scripps Co.

Learn more about “Soldier Boy“

By MARK MILLER

Four years in the making, and nearly a year after signing a contract with a publisher, Alan Daugherty’s first book has been published.

“I consider this book a miracle,” the Bluffton resident says. “I didn’t start out with any idea of writing a book.”

Daugherty, who writes a weekly column for The News-Banner entitled “Angelkeep Journals,” has published a “factional” book about the adventures and experiences of an art teacher. “Mr. Aartemann’s Crayon” is currently on sale at Good Shepherd Christian Book Store in Bluffton, as well as the Korner Kupboard in downtown Huntington.

“It began as a personal journal of funny art class events,” Daugherty says. “I never dreamed it would end up as it has. It seemed to take on a life of its own, under God’s timing.”

He explains that the main character, an art teacher, has a Christian outlook that sometimes gets squeezed into the classroom.

It is no coincidence, of course, that Daugherty was an art teacher for 20 years, retiring at the close of the recent school year from Huntington County Community Schools.

Thus, he refers to the book as “faction.”

“It’s not really fictional. Much is autobiographical, but some is fiction because of my poor memory,” he relates. “I make up what I don’t know or what I can’t remember.”

That aspect of his book brought about a humorous moment as he finalized the manuscript for publication.

He was making a final edit and came across a part in which the title character was walking through the rooms of a school that was being closed. Mr. Aartemann picked up an old chalkboard eraser, slapped it several times on the chalkboard leaving the chalk dust impressions, and then threw the eraser across the room.

“I thought to myself, ‘Oh, now they’re going to know who did that,’” and then I realized that this was a part that I had made up.

“I’ve read it so many times revising, editing and correcting that I’ve started to believe those parts myself,” he says. “What can I do but laugh at myself.

“Some characters are composites of several students or teachers I’ve met. I can never say who they are,” he continues.

Daugherty also found it serendipitous that the art teacher’s retirement question that goes throughout the book coincided with his actual retirement just as the book was published.

“That question was part of the material four years prior to my actual retirement which turns out happened the same month of the book release,” he notes. “I guess God knew all along.”

The idea of developing the journals into book form came to him over time, much of it through conversations with friends. Once he decided to give it a try, he found himself wondering how to go about getting published.

One foray with a company that sends manuscripts to publishers brought no results for Daugherty. He later came across an advertisement on the internet for Tate Publishing, seeking manuscripts for Christian-oriented books and stories.

His submission was accepted, quicker than he had even hoped.

Daugherty estimates that he submitted his sample about a year ago, he had a signed contract “pretty quickly,” and then the process to get the manuscript finalized and the book printed and bound has taken the balance of the time.

The book’s illustrations were also done by the author, a natural addition it would seem, given his art background.

Good Shepherd Christian Book Store has scheduled a book signing with Daugherty for August 4 and he will participate in a “local authors night” at the Barnes & Noble book store at Jefferson Point on Sept. 7.

Besides the local outlets, the book is also available online at most major bookseller websites as well as the publisher’s: www.orders@tatepublishing.com.

The back cover of the book includes several comments from people who read the book prior to its printing, including Bluffton Mayor Ted Ellis.

Daugherty believes there very well may be future books. “I have two or three in my head that I’ll at least try to write,” he says. “Whether they get finished or not, and whether they get published or not, I can’t say.”

Amongst everything, Daugherty has felt another hand in the whole process.

“It seemed to take on a life of it’s own, under God’s timing. It’s been such a blessing seeing the Lord work,” he relates. “I have been truly blessed. It’s like a miracle, it really is.”

Bluffton News-Banner June 23, 2007

Learn more about “Mr. Aartemann’s Crayon“

By JEFF JARDINE
WINNER’S CIRCLE — In April, I wrote about Bill Nichols, author of “Seabiscuit: The Rest of the Story.” Nichols got the idea to write his book while speaking four years ago to the Red Hat Society women’s group in Hughson. The 82-year-old began his career as a trainer and breeder by working with the legendary racehorse, and his book was published in the spring.

Saturday, Nichols and wife Lill attended the unveiling of a Seabiscuit statue at the Ridgewood Ranch near Willits, where the horse died in 1947. It’s a replica of the statue at the Santa Anita racetrack in Southern California.

Among the guests were former Vice President Walter Mondale and his wife, and they dined with the Nicholses the night before the event.

Joan Mondale, Nichols said, was the first person in line for his book-signing after the statue dedication.

“It’s a very exciting time for me,” said Nichols, who lives in the Sacramento County town of Wilton.

Jeff Jardine can be reached at jjardine@modbee.com or 578-2383.

Learn more about “Seabiscuit: The Rest of the Story“

Patricia Gordon Publishes Transitions and Memories

By Victoria A. Caruso

For over 40 years, Patricia Gordon has been living her life as a physically challenged wife and mother after an automobile accident left her paralyzed and in need of a wheelchair. And, in 1998, the Westbury author lost her 27-year-old daughter to cancer. The tragedy and challenges Gordon has faced in life led her to pen Transitions and Memories, a memoir written with positive and encouraging words for others dealing with pain and loss.
Patricia Gordon

Gordon said that through the memoir, she is able to share some of her experiences with others in a positive and encouraging way. “I certainly hope and pray that people will go out and purchase this book [because it was] written to encourage and inspire others. This is a little book but full of positive words and ideas,” said Gordon. “Too many people are hurting and if I can make a difference for even one person, known or unknown, this book will have accomplished what I intended.”

According to the publisher’s website, tatepublishing.com, “Transitions and Memories is a book for everyone to read. Readers will be able to connect with the many identifiable emotions from denial through acceptance and hurting to healing. Transitions and Memories is the inspiring story of one woman’s journey through tragedy and realization that, through it all, God was there – and He still is.”

“I’ve had over 40 years to deal with being physically challenged. Life is full of trials for all of us and it helps to know that we are not alone,” said Gordon, adding that in Transitions and Memories, she informs readers that she wasn’t always happy, cried and often smiled even when unhappy. “I want readers to know that this is normal so they would perhaps understand and relate to whatever emotions they are experiencing. In addition, through my writing I tell that it is important to move forward, not look back at what happened, and enjoy life as much as possible,” she said.

Gordon added, however, that despite the tragic events in her life, she tried to remain positive. “The only time I can say I was angry was after the auto accident because it changed my life so drastically. To a young woman in her early 20s I was convinced that my life was over. No anger came after the death of my daughter. Instead I was thankful to God for giving her to me if even for the relatively short time she was with us and I have many fond memories,” she said.

Gordon began writing several years ago as part of the healing process in dealing with her Laura’s death, which occurred in 1998. She put it aside for a while, until one day her husband, Bob, told her about a writing class for seniors and encouraged her to take it. Gordon said she learned a great deal from the classes and considered them to be what influenced her to continue writing and to send essays and stories to various publications.

“Bob encouraged me to take a writing class after he had seen a flierat the East Meadow Library,” she said. “When taking these writing classes, I learned about the craft of writing and seriously pursued it.” Gordon added that keeping busy, which is also a chapter title in Transitions and Memories, was one of the ways she coped and dealt with the trauma associated with the accident and Laura’s death.

“I recommend keeping busy and there are many ways to do so. Volunteer, join a book discussion group, take an adult education class, enjoy a hobby or craft, visit museums, etc.,” she said.

To others looking to transform their own story to paper, Gordon suggests keeping a pad and pen near the bed to jot down anything that might come to mind. “Begin by writing down thoughts or phrases that will ‘trigger’ a memory of an event in their past or even just a memory of something that happened to them recently or years ago,” said Gordon. “Doing this will help you to remember it in the morning. Then the next morning, continue on wherever the thought or thoughts lead you.”

She continued, “Keeping a pad and pen at my bedside and jotting down any thoughts or phrases is what I did and still do. It is not only helpful but also fun to remember incidents that happened, i.e., when growing up, with children or other family members, vacations, etc.”

The Gordons moved to Westbury about 45 years ago. In the early years of their marriage, she was a stay-at-home mom whose children attended the Bowling Green School and she was a leader for her son’s 4-H group and Boy Scout troop as well as active in her late daughter’s Brownie and Girl Scout troops. “In the earlier years following our auto accident I was always busy as a wife and mother of two children. When the children got older I often worked at home using the secretarial skills I had prior to the automobile accident,” said Gordon, adding that she also worked for the Long Island Foundation for Hospice Care and Research and, a few years ago, as a part-time receptionist at the Long Island Children’s Museum. Currently, Gordon enjoys attending writing classes as well as reading, attending plays and concerts, surfing the Internet, trying new recipes and traveling.

Transitions and Memories can be purchased through Tate Publishing, (orders@tatepublishing.com) or online at Amazon.com.

Learn more about “Transition and Memories”

Every week C2 Productions brings great outdoor adventures into your home through the “Cody & Cody TV Show.”

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