He recalled that his cue card “kid,” who has been with Hope for more than 30 years, talked of stopping at the North Platte Canteen aboard a troop train. “It’s the most marvelous thing I’ve heard of,” Hope said. Hope delighted the audience with a 30-min- ute monologue … Bidding the audience farewell, Hope’s joking voice became serious. “I’m awful proud of all of you for the job you did during the war taking care of our troops.” The words, sung by those gathered around the Canteen display’s upright piano, joining in an impromptu sing-along, seemed to provide a fitting summation. … Close to 800 persons signed the museum’s guest register Sunday afternoon — “many more slipped by us,” said a Canteen reception volunteer. … Present at the reception were former Canteen officers Rose Loncar, Edna Neid and Lila DuTemple, who had helped coordinate the efforts of thousands of Canteen volunteers. … [Gene] Slattery, now of Paxton and now in his 50s, offered up the shirt off his back at Sunday’s reception, the proceeds to benefit the museum that now houses the historical Canteen display. Telegraph | Sept. 20, 1988 By Sharron Hollen “Gonna Take a Sentimental Journey.” At Sunday’s reception, just as so often happened in those years from 1941 to 1946, the same shirt
was sold and resold, time after time, this time by auctioneer Jim Baldridge. … There are 125 communities listed on the honor roll of towns that provided volunteers and support for the World War II Canteen. As the names of those towns were called out, community repre- sentatives were presented with beribboned badge mementos recalling this year’s reunion and their efforts from 1941 to 1946. … Among those who stepped forward to represent those communities was Marjorie Pinkerton, North Platte. She was 16-year-old Marjorie Frazell when she came with the Shelton delegation to work at the Canteen. Pinned to Pinkerton’s shirt was a now-faded pink ribbon, emblazoned “Hostess,” that Canteen volunteers wore in those years when they worked at the Canteen. Edna Neid died at age 86 on Nov. 12, 1988. Rose Loncar, who had led the reunion parade with her, would join her and the other Canteen officers when she passed away at age 82 on Sept. 6, 1989. An October 1994 reunion for Canteen vol- unteers brought more than 200 people to the Lincoln County Historical Museum for a program featuring a congratulatory letter from President Bill Clinton. The Neville Center hosted the July 23, 2004, premiere of “The Canteen Spirit,” a Nebraska Educational Television documentary that aired nationally over the Public Broadcasting
The North Platte Telegraph
Stepping from his jet, the veteran entertainer tipped his cap to the crowd and responded with shouts of “Mr. and Mrs. [Dolores] Hope, we love you” and “Thanks for the memories.” “Thanks for turning out such a beautiful day,” Hope said. “I come to North Platte all the time. Where are we anyway?”… From the airport, Hope traveled by motorcade to the Neville Center … The full-house audience of 800-plus, that had begun gathering in the Neville Center more than 90 minutes before Hope’s arrival, rose in applause and cheers. “I thought the entire town was at the airport. This is wonderful,” said Hope.
144 CANTEEN: AS IT HAPPENED
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