Diana McCall, sponsor of an annual Veterans’ Day essay contest, stands with this year’s winners (left to right) Reina Evans, Kendall Dudley and Senna Reid. (Paula Roy photo) PHILLIPS — As part of her presentation about Veterans Day at the Phillips Elementary School on Monday, Nov. 9, Diana McCall presented awards to three winners of her annual essay contest for Phillips 5th graders.

For their essays on the theme “What a Veteran is to Me,” Senna Reid, Reina Evans and Kendall Dudley received small American flags and their choice of an Army book cover or travel mug.

Every 5th grader wrote an essay and each one received a memento of one kind or another for their efforts. They were also treated to apples and cider donated by Hannaford’s in Farmington.

McCall, though not a veteran herself, is the daughter, sister, wife and mother of veterans. She has been giving Veterans Day and Flag Day presentations in elementary schools for 17 years.

Her mission began when she recognized a general lack of basic knowledge in the citizenry regarding these patriotic holidays. She kicked off her campaign to change that in Sanford, where she lived at the time. Now a longtime resident of Phillips, McCall has made a tradition of sharing her patriotic passion with the young people here.