Honoring those who served

Dozens of Veterans along with friends and family came together to celebrate Veterans Day at the PCM Middle School program Monday. Performances from the seventh and eighth grade band and sixth grade choir along with videos and slide shows about Veterans Day and local veterans showed the effort students put in to honoring veterans in the community.

“We are honored to have local veterans and their families here with us,” Ella Schendel said.

The band started the program with the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” after the colors were presented by the Monroe American Legion Post 363. The choir then performed “America, the Beautiful” before the crowd.

A history of Veterans Day video, which was arranged by Harley Heaton, Jack Kramer, Addison Steenhoek and Stella Stravers gave a brief education on the day from the time it was founded as Armistice Day in 1919 to ceremonies that take place across the country to honor those who have served. To bring things closer to home, a slideshow commemorating family members and friends who have served gave names and faces on Veterans Day.

To go even further, five veterans were interviewed on their experiences in the military. Jake Hedgecock, Ray Chambers, Scott Gilje, David Van Veen and Jason Braun shared stories from their time in the service, from when they first enlisted to funny occurrences while in the field.

“The first week was homesick, I had never been away from home, missed home,” Van Veen said. “Boot camp we were all in the same boat, everybody was kind of scared, didn’t know what to expect. But I always had the idea that everybody else had done this, I can do it, too. That was my attitude, if they can do it, I can do it.”

Student Miranda Bellinghausen read a poem she wrote honoring veterans before active duty members and veterans in the crowd were acknowledged and given a round of applause by all those in attendance. Superintendent Brad Jermeland closed the ceremony with Jake Winters playing “Taps” to end the event.

“Today we proudly honor our military and veterans who courageously fight to protect the rights and freedoms of all Americans. Our program is one small way we can honor you and those who have served our country so we can live in freedom,” Jermeland said. “It is evident that we are teaching and reinforcing the values that our communities expect. On behalf of the PCM Community School District we say ‘thank you’ to the veterans of our communities. We are here to honor our service members and to remember the sacrifices you have made for our country.”

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com