11 April 2008
I really jump on the chance when I find something positive to write about. This is a story about two middle aged men with different views of the war. One, Michael Reagan, an artist lives in Edmonds, Washington and believes that war is necessary at times even if it’s an unpopular war. The other, Joe Colgan lost his son in Iraq and hates war. He lives in Kent, Washington and every Tuesday he drives to the Federal Building in downtown Seattle to protest the Iraq war. These men have become fast friends.
Reagan’s mission in life is to make a hand drawn portrait of every service person killed in the war. He refuses payment for soldier portraits and relies on donations for supplies. He uses pencils from Europe. Reagan takes five hours or more to do a portrait. He completes two a day Sometimes he will sell one of his signed celebrity portraits for needed funds.
Reagan made a portrait of Army 2nd Lt. Benjamin Colgan, who was killed in 2003 in Baghdad. When Reagan met Lt. Colgan’s father Joe, a bond was formed. Their political leanings put aside the two men joined to give healing gifts to families who have lost a loved one in the Iraq or Afghanistan war. Reagan draws the portraits, 18- by 13-inch pencil-drawn pictures, Colgan gets art supplies and mails the portraits to the families.
This story shows how people with different views in life can put aside their feelings and work together to do something to benefit others.
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