Veteran’s Day
Veterans Day services were held in communities across the county this week.
Veterans in Gilman were treated to a breakfast with students in the morning.
This gave the students time to talk with the veterans and learn more about them and their service.
Gilman middle school students Quinleigh Raether (grade 6), Zoey McCormick (grade 7), and Phelix Bradley (grade 8) read their winning Veterans Day essays.
Guess speaker Senior Master Sergeant Lee Pentimone (Ret.) spoke to students and community members.
The Gilman Community Choir participated with a patriotic selection of songs.
At Stetsonville Elementary School, veterans from the Stetsonville American Legion visited with the youngsters. Students talked about the service and contributions veterans make.
At the Medford Area Middle School ceremony, students and guests received a special welcome from Crystal Schaefer who is the commander of the USS Constitution and a Medford High School Graduate.
The members of the 8th grade band performed the Star Spangled Banner.
The 8th grade choir performed “A Patriot’s Heart” and local veteran Arnold Koeppe sang the National Anthem. Student Avary Sigmond read her winning Patriots Pen Essay. MAMS Student Council Representative Logan Schmidt spoke and presented Koeppe with an American flag for his service and willingness to share his talents with the students.
Retired US Air Force Technical Sergeant Ken Patterson was the keynote speaker at both the middle and high school ceremonies. At both he gave a message of thanking and recognizing the service of veterans going through the crowd at the middle school ceremony and inviting veterans to state their branch and years of service. At the high school he shared the poem “I am a Veteran.”
The middle school ceremony was completed with the play of taps by Paxton Hamland and Owen Zick and a gun salute by the Medford American Legion and VFW honor guard and the retiring of colors from the VFW, American Legion and Auxiliary.
At Medford Area Senior High School, Naomi Fleegel served as master of ceremonies. The concert choir performed the Star Spangled Banner, with the Symphonic Band performing the United Started Armed Forces Salute. Take Note performed “Homeland” accompanied by the symphonic band. Samson Whetstone performed Taps after the gun salute.
The Rib Lake Veterans Day Ceremony was held at Rib Lake High School with the district’s band and choir performing patriotic selections. Sgt Jamie R. Aschebrock delivered the Veterans Day address. Aschebrock graduated from Stratford in 2011 and joined the United States Marine Corps that same year.
During his 5 year enlistment he deployed 3 times to 10 different countries on peacekeeping and security missions as a member of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Maritime Raid Force, Security Platoon and as a Machine Gunner with 3rd Battalion Fifth Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division. He’s also mentioned as a character in Tom Clancy’s book “Commander in Chief,” a Jack Ryan novel. He currently resides in Stratford with his wife and son.
In addition to the public schools, Veterans Day ceremonies were also held at Holy Rosary Catholic School in Medford with students performing a skit, and said a prayer and a blessing for the veterans that were present. The students were wearing their red, white and blue.
Photos by Brian Wilson, Alex Wilson & Mandee Ellis
Page Layout by Lydia Ploeckelman
Thank
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Thank
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