24 25 www.htcinc.net | Fall 2017 Fall 2017 | www.htcinc.net Being a soldier is one of the toughest jobs there is, but when troops return home, it can be challenging for them to reenter the workforce. In keeping with our commitment to support the U.S. military, HTC actively recruits and employs veterans, reservists and their family members to help them build a career they can enjoy. The training, operational skills and leadership ability these men and women have developed while protecting our country has more than prepared them to succeed in our organization. Their work ethic, integrity and teamwork align perfectly with our HTC core values. Now they are serving in a new way – by servicing our community as a part of the Cooperative. It’s easy to applaud these brave men and women in the airport or in parades, but as they blend into everyday life, what they have sacrificed for their country often gets overlooked. It’s time we go out of our way to give veterans the recognition they deserve. We thank our HTC veterans for all their hard work – overseas and in our neighborhoods. After all you’ve done for our nation, we are grateful that we get to work alongside you. It’s ingrained in the character of servicemen and women to not seek special treatment or praise, but at HTC, we want to formally offer our support to all veterans of Horry and Georgetown counties. We thank them for risking their lives to help preserve freedom in our communities. On November 8th , HTC had the opportunity to pay tribute to members of all the United States military branches at the Salute to American Veterans event. It was an inspiring evening complete with patriotic music and a rousing color guard presentation. HTC sponsored the premier of the historical documentary film, Gumption, Grit & Glory: The Battle of Kings Mountain, that delves into a significant battle of the Revolutionary War that took place on the border between North and South Carolina. The most important portion of the event was our recognition of the veterans by their service branch and the era during which they served. As each group of individuals stood to applause, we were humbled just thinking of the adversity these individuals had endured. And we were also humbled as we reflected on how many were not in the room with us because they lost their lives in the line of duty. It’s important to remember that we don’t have to wait until the next major event or Veterans Day to show our appreciation to the courageous men and women who’ve served our nation. These are our coworkers, our family members and our neighbors. Let’s look for more ways to express our thanks in daily life. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture — it can be as simple as a handshake and “Thank you” or inviting them over to watch a game. Because the simple fact of the matter is, we owe our veterans an immense debt that we can never repay. John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” Let us show our appreciation for our veterans through action, just as they acted on behalf of us — and not just on November 11th , but on the other 364 days of the year, too. Serving Those Who Served Us HTC honors the brave individuals who fought for our freedom. Veterans are a lot like everyone else. They go grocery shopping with their families. They go to the park and go out for ice cream. You can hear them cheering in the stands at local sporting events and see them down on the sidelines investing in our kids. In the morning, they get dressed and go to work, many protecting our communities as police officers and firefighters. Some help build our communities through construction work. Others go to class to work on their education.