During her senior year at Donegal High School in 2012-13, Sarah Brallier learned the story of Harold Billow's experience in World War II. She and her classmate Laura Hess created a documentary based on the Mount Joy resident's memories of the Malmedy Massacre, a key moment in the Battle of the Bulge when 87 people were executed in a snowy field, gunned down by German soldiers.

On Jan. 13, members of the Rotary Club of Mount Joy were treated to a showing of the documentary, as well as remarks from Brallier and Liz Lewis, the teacher who mentored the students as they created the project for National History Day.

It's the perfect time to share Billow's story, as the Rotary Club is working to raise funds for a memorial to commemorate the 10 Lancaster County residents who were part of the massacre. Five were killed that day in December 1944, and five survived, coming home to, in Billow's case, ensure no one ever forgot the traumatic day.

Each year on the date of the Malmedy Massacre - Dec. 17 - as well as on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, Billow placed 87 flags in the front yard of his Mount Joy home, creating a memorial to the people who died during the massacre in Belgium.

"I grew up in Mount Joy, and I had passed Harold's house and seen the flags in his yard for many years, but I never knew what it was about," Brallier recalled.

When Lewis, then a history teacher at Donegal, introduced students to ideas for National History Day projects, Billow's story stood out to Brallier and Hess.

"The first time I met Harold, it was so inspiring hearing his stories," Brallier said. "He was such a happy, positive person. He always had a smile on his face, and he gave the best hugs."

Over the course of Brallier's senior year and Hess' sophomore year, the girls met regularly with Billow, who shared memories and photographs from his experience in World War II.

"We became friends," Brallier said, noting that Billow would regularly visit her at her job as a local restaurant server long after the documentary project was completed. "He was my hero personally. It was an honor to tell his story and a wonderful experience getting to know him."

Brallier and Hess named their documentary "Beneath the Snow of the Baugnez Crossroads: Uncovering the Malmedy Massacre." To compete in the history contest, they had to ensure the final product was less than 10 minutes long, a challenge they struggled with.

"We had so much to include, and we really worked to cut it down," Brallier said. "The final project is 9:58."

Brallier narrates the documentary, which features interviews with Billow and information gleaned from hours of research.

"They had to use primary and secondary sources, and they had to complete an annotated bibliography, which was verified by the judges," Lewis said, noting that the girls used both the National Archives and the German National Archives for research. They also relied on a German teacher at the high school to translate documents and provide correct pronunciation for the names of people featured in the documentary.

National History Day, now in its 52nd year, is a nonprofit program that seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history.

"Its main event is an annual competition in which students develop projects related to a yearly theme," Lewis explained.

For Brallier and Hess, the theme was "Turning Points in History." The girls competed locally at Penn Manor High School, where they won first place in the senior group documentary category. From there, they edited the film and rerecorded it to prepare for the state competition, where, in May of 2013, they placed in the top six in their category of all entries in the state.

Billow often made presentations to Donegal students about his experience, and shortly before his death in 2022, he delivered an envelope of photos of himself with National History Day researchers, asking that the photos be given to the students.

"He treasured their visits and their presence in his life," Lewis said. "He wanted each of those who had listened to his story and taken a photo with him to know how much their time meant to him."

Brallier told the group at the Rotary Club meeting that she hopes to continue researching Malmedy, including learning more about the other local soldiers who were there.

She hopes people who watch the documentary will realize just how young the men at Malmedy were and how what they went through is unfathomable for most people.

"I want people to appreciate their sacrifice," she said. "You study history so you don't repeat it, and you want to learn from the past. I think people need to appreciate that we wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for people like Harold."

To watch "Beneath the Snow of the Baugnez Crossroads: Uncovering the Malmedy Massacre," visit https://tinyurl.com/3b2jp84z.

The Rotary Club of Mount Joy estimates the total cost of the memorial at $35,000 to $40,000, and community support is necessary for the group to meet its goal of completion for dedication of the site on Memorial Day of this year. For more information on the Malmedy Memorial at Veterans War Memorial Park, visit http://www.mountjoyrotary.org.