97°F
weather icon Windy

Scout thanks Vietnam veterans with parade

Updated March 31, 2021 - 4:04 pm

“It’s never too late to say thank you to a veteran.”

That sentiment by 14-year-old Abigail Panariso of Boulder City fuels her actions to honor and recognize the sacrifices of the nation’s veterans. Most recently, she organized a caravan in the community to parade in front of the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home on Monday, March 29, to observe National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

“My grandpa was a Vietnam veteran,” she said. “When grandpa came home from Vietnam he was not welcomed at all. He was spat on and not treated with respect. I want all the veterans to know that we love them, respect them and I want to make them feel that they are always being thought of. I don’t want them to feel forgotten. I want them to … know that they won’t be disrespected anymore.”

Abigail said that while she knew about the lack of respect for Vietnam veterans, her late grandfather never shared his experiences with her or her family.

She also has two great-grandfathers who served in World War II.

Kristy Waggerman, volunteer coordinator for the veterans’ home, had nothing but praise for Abigail and her efforts on behalf of veterans.

Currently, about half of the facility’s residents, 59 in all, are veterans of the Vietnam War, she said.

In addition to recognizing veterans, the parade also doubled as a requirement for the longtime Girl Scout to help earn her Gold Award, the highest honor bestowed by the organization.

Among the necessary steps to earn the honor is to have 100 hours of service, create and operate an organization/plan that addresses a specific issue and assemble a team to put the plan into action.

She created Abigail CARES (Cares, Appreciation, Respect, Event and Support) for Veterans and Parades, which she said she hopes to turn into a nonprofit and continue working with after she leaves Girl Scouts.

Abigail has been a Girl Scout for 10 years, starting as a Daisy and working her way through the ranks. She plans to stay in Girls Scouts until she completes her senior year in high school.

This is not the first event to honor veterans that Abigail has organized. To earn her Silver Award for Girl Scouts, she had 500 thank you letters written by fellow students at Thurman White Academy of the Performing Arts and her church. She also partnered with Honor Flight of Southern Nevada to obtain eight all-terrain wheelchairs for the veterans to use as they toured military monuments in Washington, D.C., and arranged a special welcome home ceremony for after a trip.

Abigail is the daughter of Sarah and Jim Panariso of Boulder City. She is a ninth-grade student at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, where she plays oboe.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.

MOST READ
LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
THE LATEST
BCHS going strong at 85

The 2025–26 school year is off to a fantastic start at Boulder City High School.

Falls at home place seniors at significant risk

We may crack up watching slip and fall accidents on TikTok or “America’s Funniest Home Videos”, but in real life, especially for seniors, it’s no laughing matter.

Wine Walk returns with new lineup of themes

September kicks off the busiest time of the year in terms of community events in Boulder City.

Local schools welcome new staff faces

Author John Steinbeck once wrote, “I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.”

Who’s supposed to weed out the weeds?

“In the weeds” is a phrase used in the restaurant industry to describe when the front and/or back of the house becomes overwhelmed with orders, creating kitchen chaos.

Howdy, partner! Western Inn Motel has new owners

For nearly 90 years, the Western Inn Motel has served as a temporary place for residents as well as travelers on their way to Hoover Dam, Las Vegas and beyond.

Healthy aging at any age

Healthy aging is the process of maintaining good physical, mental, and social health and well-being as we grow older. It is not just for older adults. It starts at any age. There are key areas of health that can help you stay strong and healthy throughout your life.

When household products overpromise and actually deliver

Every now and again you come across a product that makes you stand back and say, “Wow, that worked way better than I thought it would!” These gleeful moments come as a welcome surprise when we’re often disappointed by products that overpromise and under-deliver. When I find these little gems, I store them away in my mental DIY toolbox. This past month, I was happy to add a few more “must have” products that exceeded my expectations.

Summer is a time to be safe

It’s a safe bet that the one thing we all have in common every summer is managing the extreme heat and our body’s reaction to the excessive temperature prevalent in our geographic location.

Free fishing fun

Logan Davis, along with his kids Winter and Maverick, tried their best to catch a fish Saturday, along with all the many others who enjoyed the city’s free fishing day at the pond at Veterans Memorial Park.