Sebastopol twins, 9, know the meaning of Memorial Day

Nine-year-old Sebastopol twins Cash and Sidnie Cornish got interested in military veterans after seeing TV commercials highlighting the Wounded Warriors Project, a charitable effort aimed at helping injured veterans.

They began asking questions about the men and women with missing limbs, said parents Tabitha and Dennis Cornish. Trying to keep it simple, the parents spoke of how some had been hurt while fighting far away for freedom for folks at home.

A plan began to hatch.

“We were sad. We wanted to really help them,” Cash said.

And that’s how Monday the twins came to be at the Veterans Memorial Building on High Street at the end of their self-organized Memorial Day run to honor veterans. The twins will deliver about $3,000 they raised to the Sebastopol Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3919.

“What they did is incredible,” said Lou Spengler, a Vietnam veteran and post president, noting the donation will bolster a veterans aid fund. “A lot of people are sitting at home on their couch or they’re thinking about their barbecue. These two made a difference.”

It didn’t happen all of a sudden. There was research, more talk, a lemonade stand and then the run idea. Mom set up a JustGiving online account and by late Monday it had reached $2,950.

“I’m just obviously so proud of them,” Tabitha Cornish said. Establishing a sense of community service in the kids is a family goal and “hopefully this is the first of many fundraisers we will do.”

Monday, the Cornish family and a few supporters attended the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Sebastopol cemetery, where the kids were introduced for their good deed. Afterward, accompanied by Sidnie’s best friend, Stella Finley, 9, and their two moms, the five ran, jogged and walked the mile or so to the Veterans Memorial Building.

Sidnie and Stella had on matching purple T-shirts imprinted with “Run for our Heroes” while Cash wore a gray T-shirt with an American flag on the front and “I love our veterans” on the back.

Awaiting them was Windsor Police Sgt. Andy Cash. He’d met the family when they attended the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office recent memorial for deputies killed on the job. He bonded with Cash over their names, and the veteran officer learned about the twins’ Memorial Day run. Impressed they’d attended the law enforcement ceremony, he also applauded their desire to do something for veterans.

“I wanted to support them and pay my respects,” he said Monday, giving the three kids some Windsor police swag including badges, highlighters and earbuds. After the run, the Apple Blossom Elementary students were jazzed about their effort.

“We wanted to help the veterans and we did,” Sidnie said.

“I feel happy that we helped them,” Cash said. “We raised a lot of money.”

Inside the vets building was the annual Memorial Day veterans’ luncheon. There were 40 to 50 people having lunch, including 95-year-old World War II veteran Darrel Shumard of Sebastopol. The Army Air Corps pilot was introduced to the kids, and Cash gave him a hug.

“I think it’s terrific,” Shumard said. “I think it’s really good when they get involved instead of watching the screen.”

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.