Pictured: Helen Kim, Rev.Richard Kim, General David Petraeus

On a recent visit my two aunts and uncles stopped in Culpeper  to visit me on their way to Lake Anna.   It’s always great to see my family. Two of them live in northern Virginia, while the other two live in Michigan.  I learned on this recent visit that my Uncle Dick was invited to be the Chaplain at the William J. Donovan Award Dinner in D.C.    this would be a large dinner event at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel , and he would pray a blessing on all just before the dinner! How cool is that!!   The William J. Donovan Award is named after the founder of World War II’s Office of Strategic Services (OSS), Major General William “Wild Bill” Donovan.  This year’s recipient was General David Petraeus.   In an email to family  my Uncle wrote:

” It was a great privilege to be the Chaplain at the OSS William J Donovan Award Dinner on Saturday, May 2, 2009. Some of the honored guests were the wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan – most of whom were Special Forces soldiers.
The Army musicians did their usual magnificent job; with their rendering of the ‘Ballad of the Green Beret’ Special Forces warriors from the past and present stood with raised glasses!
God Bless General Petraeus and the forces he commands, and may God bless America and the brave warriors who fight to preserve our freedom.”

My Uncle Dick was a Green Beret at one time.  He loves to celebrate his birthdays  skydiving with these distinguished men !!  He has to jump tandem now …. I mean c’mon he’s in his early 80′s – maybe we will jump together one day ~ something I have yet to try :)    I wonder how much integrity  a burlap chute might have ~~

Uncle Dick, me, Uncle Art