 | | What I can do - I will (Stacey N. Binning) In Stacey Binning's own words... Education, whether in the learning or teaching form, has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl. Although not a scholar myself, I often found myself helping others learn | | different subjects, from history to German (my college minor), to web design. I was first introduced to the wonderful world wide web in mid 1995, when I was fresh out of highschool. Two years later, I taught myself the basics of HTML in one day and started a website the next. |
|
| That website helped incorporate my passion of education, as it was about Texas history and government. I also played around with another website, which included a hodgepodge of pages. It was from this website that "What I can do - I will -" was spawned. In early 1998, I stumbled upon a web page dedicated to the POW/MIA issue, specifically a soldier who was still missing from the Vietnam War. It was a new subject for me, and thanks to the internet, I was able to quickly learn more. Within a few weeks, I had adopted my own MIA and added a page for him on my hodgepodge site. Within a year, I adopted six more POWs/MIAs, and decided to start a website just for these men and woman. My goal was to make sure that their stories were told, | | 
| | and have they ever! I did not know where this passion of mine would take me, but it has opened up so many doors, both online and in real life. |
|
The power of the internet is amazing, as are many of the people who use it. My site has become a resource for students, teachers, and, most importantly, for those affected by the POW/MIA issue. I am frequently contacted by people who wore a POW bracelet back when they first came around, asking for my help in locating the families. The families, I find, are accepting of the interest and compassion of strangers. I know first hand, as I have met family members of two of my adopters, and have communicated (online) with family members of others. I have been to the funerals of several men previously listed as MIA, been honored by the Coast Guard, and shown veterans that young people can, and do, care.
Website awards were, to me, a way to easily have my hard work recognized. Even though just anyone could have a website, I felt mine was special. While the basis of it was, the site wasn't exactly great in terms of layout and navigation. Due to feedback given to me by award presenters, I began to better my website, and still do. Up until last year, I did not understand the importance of validating my HTML. Now my site is valid in both CSS and HTML and I am looking for more ways to make it user friendly.
Despite popular belief, I do have a life outside of the internet. I have been married for nearly three years; my husband and I have a mutual love of God, family, and country. I am a mom to a one year old boy and a step-mom to two teenage daughters. I have kept my nose in a book since I was old enough to read, and still do. Photography is another passion; my first year entering photos to the local fair, I won second place! My husband and I love to play board games, have friend and family over for dinner, and also just sit on our front porch swing and admire God's handiwork.
Ole Sam and Spook Footnote... The true story of Dorothy Day a woman who's been called "the American Mother Teresa." Is retold in the movie Entertaining Angels (1996). During the movie a basic question is asked “how long will your zeal to help the homeless and poor continue?”
We have no doubt that Stacey's passion for POW/MIA issues will prevail until she draws her last breath on mother earth. |
