An American Flag for Their Father
Written By
Annmarie Hickey Georgopolis

www.ahg7.com

(CLICK ON EACH WORD BELOW, TO SEE THE LINK TO THAT PARTICULAR PAGE)

NEW HAMPSHIRE SEACOAST WOMEN'S JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006

Passing Patriotism to the Next Generation
By Carol McCarthy
Projects Manager- Revolution Booksellers

During WWII, patriotism was high, even among small children. Working to support the soldiers overseas continues today with the war in Iraq. In her new book, An American Flag for Their Father, Annmarie Hickey Georgopolis relays a very patriotic message to kids. In the story, written for her brother while he was in Iraq, she tells a fictional tale of his two children selling popsicles on the beach to buy him a flag for his homecoming.

Based on true stories from childhood growing up on Plum Island in Massachusetts, Georgopolis has masterfully combined fact and fiction to create a captivating and moving tale that has brought many veterans to tears.

Georgopolis hopes that her story will inspire young people to treat every day as if it is Veteran's day. Woven within the pages of this beautifully illustrated book is a story that fosters respect and honor for both our veterans and our servicemen. Teaching children to truly appreciate the people who protect our nation is very important to Georgopolis. "It's very important that they know we're here, we love you, and we're proud of you. That message means a lot," she says.

While on tour with her book, Georgopolis has met many people of varying ages who have a refreshing appreciation for the people who serve our country. "I think people appreciate that the book is not a political thing or a negative thing. It's just about people recognizing what these men and women have done." Separating political agenda and personal emotion is made real through this story of one soldier's family and their love for their country. The children in her tale are not on either side of the fence, they just love their father and want to give him the best homecoming present possible.

Georgopolis hopes to put her book in the hands of every soldier's child in the United States. With help from veteran's agencies and donations, she is setting out to start in New Hampshire and gradually work her way across the country. This ambitious project will take a lot of hard work, but she feels that the message is too important to ignore. Her deep-set love of our country is something of a family tradition for Georgopolis, whose father really did salute the flag each morning and night; as his character does in the book. While this book was written for her brother, it is really a tribute to her father and all of the veterans that have served our country through the years.

Annmarie Hickey Georgopolis Author	Lieutenant Colonel Martin Hickey