Oct. 9, 2006- Wanted: military photos to put in holiday window

The holidays are a time when families often like to get together for fun and feasting, a hike or a ball game, board games or card games. The activities are as individual as families themselves, and the pastimes simply give people a chance to take time from busy schedules to touch base, reconnect, catch up and remember each other.

In war time, such occasions become difficult when a family member is fighting overseas. There is an empty place at the table and the eternal worry of those at home over the safety of the loved one far away.

In order to honor those fighting overseas and their families, Deb Byers of Placerville, an employee at Placerville Hardware, 441 Main St., is planning a Christmas military window for the holiday season in one of the store’s two front-facing windows. Byers, with the support of Placerville Hardware owner/operators Deanna and David Fausel and their son Albert Fausel, is putting together a display of photographs of the men and women who are stationed in Iraq or who have died there. Byers is urging family members of military personnel to send or bring in photos so that they can be shown from Nov. 1, 2006 through Jan. 15, 2007.

&#8220The purpose of the window is to remember and honor our troops and our families that have relatives in the military,” said Byers.

Byers has been thinking about the project for a year. &#8220There was a man who asked to put his son on the billboard, but it had been raining so hard we couldn’t accommodate him. When it rains, we can’t get up on the metal roof to change the billboard; it’s too slippery. His son was coming home. I have thought about him all this time,” said Byers.

&#8220The idea of the window has never left my mind. Before I moved here, I met a lady whose son was coming home. He was talking to her on the phone, and he said he was coming home. Right after he hung up the phone, he was shot in the face. He never made it home. I’ve never stopped thinking about him,” Byers said.

The project actually got underway with two out-of-town visitors who regularly shop at Placerville Hardware on their way through town. Both are gold star moms – their sons have been killed in action. The mothers told the stories of their sons to Deb, and once home, the mothers sent the photos.

Byers explained that one photo is of LCPL Travis Layfield, killed in action in Ramadi, Iraq on April 6, 2004 with nine other Marines and a Navy medic during the course of an ambush. He was 19 years old. His mother is Diane Layfield of Sunnyvale, and she sent a collage with two formal snapshots and a photo of a very young Travis in a sailor suit.

Byers also explained that the other photo is of 1st Sergeant Michael Ottolini of Petaluma. In the National Guard, Ottoliniv volunteered to go to Iraq in order to spare a younger man the war experience. He was killed in action in Iraq on Nov. 10, 2004. His mother is Jacquie Cruz of Windsor, and she sent a formal portrait of her son that shows his medals.

Byers said that the display window is for the living as well as for those killed in action. &#8220It would be too sad otherwise,” she said and added that the purpose of the window is to remember and honor the sacrifice of those serving and their families who risk, and perhaps lose, so much.

In keeping with her goal, Byers has displayed the two photos she already has. They are not yet in the window because the window is large and two photos cannot fill it sufficiently. At the moment, there is a three-foot artificial Christmas tree set up near the front of the hardware store where most people walking into the store are likely to see it. The two photos are set out along with patriotic signs, American flags and red, white and blue decorations hung as ornaments. A gold scarf is set under the tree draping gracefully over a red, white and blue throw.

Although the first two photos are the sons of Placerville shoppers from out of town, Byers said she specifically wishes to display the photos of local people serving in Iraq as military personnel because she wants &#8220to do our military window and honor our families.”

&#8220We are so thankful for our military families and their loved ones serving in the military that we would like to display the photos. We’d be honored to display the photos in our store to thank the military,” said Byers.

To fill the Christmas military window, Byers is seeking either 5 by 7 or 8 by 10 single photographs or collages. The photos do not have to be framed, if they are not, Byers will frame them. The photos can either be brought in or sent through the mail. The photo or collage should have a caption at the bottom indicating name, military status, time of service and any family comments.

Those interested in participating in the creation of the military window should send or drop off their photos as soon as possible to Placerville Hardware, 441 Main St., Placerville, 95667. The envelopes should be marked &#8220Attention: Deb.” The photos will be displayed from Nov. 1, through Jan. 15, 2007. The photos can then be collected from Placerville Hardware.

For further information call 622-1151.

DEB BYERS ARRANGES a display in the window at Placerville Hardware, 441 Main St. in Placerville that will honor service personnel. Family and friends of soldiers are invited to bring photos in for the window. See story “Wanted …” Democrat photo by Dan Burkhart