A tale of twin cities performed for veterans

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French and American students performed a bilingual spoken word piece regarding WWII for U.S. veterans on Feb. 13, to honor the bonds of friendship between the twin cities of Locust Valley and Sainte-Mère-Église, France.

Three visiting French students, members of the theatrical group Langue Fourchue du Papillon, and local Portledge Day School students honored their mutual history for an audience of roughly 25 veterans, with an encore performance on Feb. 15 at Portledge. Operation Democracy in Locust Valley sponsored the performance.

Attendees learned the origins of the World War II sister cities — a bond of tragedy and loss, but also hope and friendship.

The bilingual performance highlighted how hope comes when people believe a “few drops of water can turn into a powerful ocean wave.” Locust Valley was that wave for Sainte-Mère-Église, and the gratitude is eternal.

“We are proud to play in front of veterans and Operation Democracy,” said Andgie Demoncy, a 16-year-old French student. “We are proud to carry the values and bring the memory forward to share with students of Portledge.”

Operation Democracy, originally established in 1947, paired Locust Valley with a sister city to aid in post-war recovery. The organization, revitalized 10 years ago, continues to promote freedom and peace through education aimed at young people.

“Operation Democracy started in the heart of the people of Locust Valley,” said Kaye Weninger, the organization’s president. “They gave them hope, they helped them rebuild. That was hope, and that was love, and that’s the meaning of Operation Democracy. When we decided to rekindle, I thought it was such a beautiful story, what they did. I thought it was important for education, to create a program to connect students to veterans.”

For the students from Sainte-Mère-Église, the history is instilled at a young age. They expressed the nervousness, and the excitement, of their first plane ride to visit the city they learn about in school.

“We are at home here,” said Demoncy. “We learn a lot about World War II and France, America and Locust Valley. To come here was wonderful because we saw the city that helped us.”

Local students got more than a history lesson. It was a cultural experience, and with it came new perspective. Interacting with the French students, they saw how American sacrifice shaped the cultural identity of a town with a population smaller than Locust Valley.

Weninger explained how American students benefit from the interactions with Sainte-Mère-Église. Through art education programs such as Painting for Peace and a previous trip to Normandy, she sees the younger generations appreciating history. “It’s nice to know they see Memorial Day as a day to remember and not to go shopping,” Weninger said.

The visiting students lived with families in Locust Valley and enjoyed many New York attractions, from Rockefeller Center and the Empire State Building to pizza and bagels. Asked about their favorite moment, they all agreed. “When we played in front of the veterans,” said Baptiste Holé, 17. “We touched them and shook their hands. It was very emotional. I loved this moment. It was magical.”

“[The French students] live in the town [where] the cemetery was dug,” said Elizabeth Atkins, head of the World Languages and Cultures Department at Portledge. “That history is very present there. To American students, World War II seems very far away, and this is a great way of connecting to it. It’s our shared history.”

The evidence of American sacrifice in World War II is ever-present in Sainte-Mère-Église. It is the final resting place for over 13,000 American soldiers, including Oyster Bay’s own Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. The graves serve as a reminder of the sacrifice for freedom. Madame Marie Renaud, the wife of the city’s mayor, dedicated her life to tending to the soldiers’ graves and communicating with their families after the war.

The people of Sainte-Mère-Église visit the cemetery often, walking among the graves and vowing to pass on the memory. “It’s our job to thank, to visit, to not forget,” said Demoncy. “If you’re human, you’re obligated to cry there.”

Through cultural exchange, Operation Democracy will continue programs geared toward community youth, hoping to engage and educate. Asked what lesson the students should learn from history, Joe Rydzewski, a Korean War veteran who had been drafted just two weeks out of high school said, “Cherish your life, because tomorrow may never come.”