Honor Flight veteran is kindergarten volunteer

World War II veteran and recent Honor Flight participant Max McCullar, 90, volunteers at a Pinedale Elementary School kindergarten class. McCullar, right, brought a book about Washington, D.C., to show to students this week. From left are T.J. Hood, Raegan Richardson, Javan Taitt and Alexa Del Angel as teacher Robyn Bryan looks on.

By By Carole Brand Ledger Staff Writer
Published: May 18, 2009

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At 90, retired Army Col. Max McCullar finds the kindergarten students at Pinedale Elementary School keep him young.

But when he showed up last week, the World War II veteran was as excited as a child himself. He’d made the whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C., last weekend on the Wiregrass Honor Flight, and was as eager to tell the children about it as they were to hear.

When McCullar entered the kindergarten class, the students were excited as they shouted out, “How was Washington?” McCullar, carrying a cane and with a book about Washington hidden in a bag, told them, “I have something special for you today.”

Kindergarten teacher Robyn Bryan led the veteran to her desk and chair, and students began crowding around and looking at the “something special” he had brought.

“He is a faithful volunteer of my class and he comes every single week and helps with the students’ reading and does activities with them” Bryan said. “When he comes in, every single one of their faces light up.”

McCullar is one of the Enterprise school system’s oldest community volunteers. While showing the students pictures of Washington, D.C., McCullar said he had known Mrs. Bryan’s father, Jim Harrelson.

“I’ve known her daddy for over 40 years,” he said. “I enjoy coming to see the students. She teaches them how to read and all I do is listen to them or help them with words.”

The 33-year Army veteran did more than help students with reading, the teacher said.

“He shows them things of the past and of the present. He showed them how a steam engine works and taught them about measurements and how to tell the temperature with a thermometer,” she said. “One day, he taught them how to distinguish between a hard-boiled egg and an egg that wasn’t boiled.”

Of the many things McCullar has brought to the kindergarten classroom, he has one special item each year.

“He goes to The Citizen’s Bank every year and gets a piggy bank for each child. In every one, he places a penny,” she said with tears appearing in her eyes. “He wants to be the one who gives them their first penny.”