Page 4 - The History of Veterans at Highland Springs

FOREWORD by Pete Weyrauch
The book you are holding is a labor of love produced by a true force of nature.
My wife, Anne, and I met Rosian Zerner shortly after our arrival at Highland Springs in January 2017. We became involved in many of her International Club’s activities. She conceived, planned, and carried out dinners and other events to enrich the lives of residents through exposure to diplomats and notable authors. Our relationship took on new role when I was invited to join the Veterans Affairs Group and developed a roster of Veterans and Widows of Veterans who comprise 20% of the resident population.
In the summer of 2019, she decided to honor the Veterans and Widows of Veterans by hosting a special dinner with a distinguished guest speaker, and the roster proved to be a big help. The event generated great excitement and was a huge success. These efforts and others have garnered well deserved recognition including the Humanitarian Medal of Honor presented to her by Laura Leppert, the founder of the Daughters of World War II organization and wife of the former mayor of Dallas.
In 2020, frustrated by COVID restrictions on social gatherings, Rosian decided to honor Veterans and Widows by writing a history of the Highland Springs Veterans Affairs Group and the Veterans Memorial Park. This effort, while seemingly a simple project, resulted in hundreds of emails to gather information, conduct fact checks, and follow-up new leads with those who were the participants. Amid this major undertaking, she thought about adding to the project by including stories of Highland Springs Veterans written by the Veterans.
The magnitude of the project was intensified and took on a life of its own. Hundreds more emails were generated as Veterans and families responded and the project took shape.
The result is this magnificent book. On behalf of Veterans, Veterans Widows, and residents, I express our deepest gratitude to this amazing woman for her enduring selfless service and concern for the welfare of others.
Paul T. (Pete) Weyrauch
Chair, Veterans Affairs Group Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Ret.)
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