Fayetteville Celebrates Glory Days

The Memorial Day weekend event is about celebrating the community's military ties. It is also a chance to learn more about the people who served our country.

The Arts Council is transforming into a USO. Flags and banners line Hay Street.

Residents know there is more behind the Glory Days celebration than the celebration.

Terry Sanford High School students interviewed World War II veterans and compiled their stories in a book.

History teacher Bill Flowers started the project as a way to give his students a real world connection to something they have only read about.

"It enabled me and my classmates to learn a lot about this generation that we as teenagers sometimes overlook," says Corey Mullins.

Sarah Hancox interviewed Dr. Julian Lintz, a member of her church.

"Dr. Lintz and his brothers went into the war," says Hancox. "It's kind of neat to know someone in your community like Dr. Lintz, and what he did for my country."

Lintz and other veterans saw the student presentations. What they heard brought tears to their eyes.

"Unless something like this happens, one generation ends, another starts, then you have a generation that knows nothing about it," says Lintz.

Now everyone can hear their stories at Glory Days.

Flowers says this project had another value: it brought together two very different generations.

"We've become dear friends since, it's amazing," says Flowers.

Glory Days kicks off Saturday at 10 a.m. with a ceremony at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum.

Events continue downtown from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. People in World War II uniforms will be strolling down the streets, vintage cars will line Hay Street and there will be swing dancing at the Arts Center. A patriotic concert takes place at 2 p.m.

The Terry Sanford students will be at the public library from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to share their reports.