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US Air Force Staff Sergeant Nolan Endres, on duty in Iraq. He was raised by his grandparents here on Marco Island.

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An Air Force staff sergeant with family roots here on Marco Island has won another award for his work while on active duty in Iraq.

He’s staff sergeant Nolan Endres, whose grandparents raised him on Marco. He attended Lely High School and was in the Junior ROTC program there.

Sgt. Endres recently was named “Tuskegee Airman of the Week” for May 26 to June 1, by the commander of the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, Brig. Gen. Burt Field.

Sgt. Endres was chosen, from more than 8,000 airmen in the unit, for his accomplishments, on and off duty.

He responded to two enemy fire attacks, found unexploded ordnances and helped neutralize them, keeping more than 30,000 coalition forces safe from that attack. The general cited several other actions by Sgt. Endres in his role as the Air Force equivalent of a military policeman.

Sgt. Endres, whose wife and three children eagerly await his return from Iraq, says he would not be in the military if it weren’t for the support and encouragement of his grandparents on Marco, Richard and Roberta Endres.

“I came into the military because I believed in what it stood for and I will forever defend this country against its enemies,” he says. “As long as I do it, somebody else’s child does not have to.”

Sgt. Endres has been in the Air Force for nine years. His home base now is Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina, but his military career has taken him to assignments in Jordan, Kuwait, several challenges in Africa and now, Iraq.

“I hope to make the Air Force a career for as long as my wife approves of it,” he says.

At Lely High School, Lt. Colonel Dave Price (retired), senior Army instructor who runs the JROTC program, remembers Sgt. Endres well.

“He was very motivated and self-disciplined, eager to help in any way possible. His actions do not surprise me and I’m very, very proud of him. He’s a credit to the U.S. Air Force.”

Equally proud are Sgt. Endres’s grandparents.

“We raised Nolan since he came to us in 1993 and we’ve lived on Marco since then. We’re very proud of him.”

Says Sgt. Endres’s wife, Holly: “He’s my hero and always will be.”

Ours too, Holly, ours too. — Chris

Fine show and tell

Islanders have a chance to learn a lot about their money and about art this and next week. And the information is free.

First is tonight when Orion Bank hosts the fifth in a series of “Artist Appreciation” evenings. The star of tonight’s presentation is local artist Phyllis Pransky.

Phyllis, a local lady now by way of Greenwich Village in New York, will talk with the guests about her work and how she got to this point in a fine career. It’s been a great ride — she sold her first painting at a garage sale for five dollars — and the showing and telling makes for a fine evening.

Phyllis will have 20 or so of her pieces on display.

The event may be sold out, but you can phone Orion Bank (403-5169) to find out.

Refreshments will be served starting at 6 p.m. and the evening is scheduled to end about 8:30 p.m. — Chris

Follow the money

It’s no surprise that people who gather to talk about the security of their money might gather at a bank. But an event at Marco’s Orion Bank on Aug. 21, will focus on how to make sure your savings are secure amidst the current hubbub over a few banks in trouble.

Orion is not one. Far from it. But vice-president and branch manager Keith Dameron knows people here want facts and he has scheduled a forum to deliver solid information. Keith says there will be no sales presentation at the event, but accurate information on how to protect your savings in banks, any banks, will highlight the event.

Call the bank to sign up for this free forum at 403-5169.

This gathering, featuring free refreshments, is part of Orion Bank’s popular “In the Round” series of town hall style evenings. The most recent one, all about the S.S. Jolley Bridge, made news headlines when experts broke the news that the Goodland Bridge over SR 92 is in excellent condition.

Earlier reports had suggested the bridge was in dire need of attention.

— Don

E-mail: chris@chriscurle.com and don@donfarmer.com