The communities of Woonsocket, Artesian and Letcher each held their own Memorial Day programs to honor fallen U.S. soldiers.

Woonsocket American Legion Post #29 Memorial Day services began with ceremonies at the cemetery and at the Sanborn County Courthouse Memorial to honor our “Unknown Dead.” The special service included a salute to fallen comrades, a ceremonial shooting of three volleys in honor of the deceased, which was rendered by Dick Regynski, Duane Peterson, Keith Senska, Jessica Scheer, Steve Tornow, Jim Hegg and Dave Kogel.  

Commander Joel Rassel welcomed a nice crowd to the Memorial Day program held at the community center.  Members of the Legion presented the Colors, followed by the POW-MIA flag to signify “You Are Never Forgotten.” Paula Linke presented the Invocation and then all joined together in the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.  Past Boys Stater Blake Howard then presented “In Flanders Field” and past Girls Stater Natalie Evans presented “America’s Response.”

David Kogel and Paula Linke read the Roll Call of War Heroes, the names of deceased veterans of Post #29 and the Woonsocket area. After the roll call, Taps was played to remember those heroes who have passed.  

Legion Scholarship 2023 winner Acaiya Schultz presented her scholarship essay on the topic “Americanism:  What is it and how I can promote and preserve it?”

Special speakers for the day were members of the Town ‘N Kountry Kids Red Group 4-H Club.  The group began with a reading that explained the “Missing Hero Table,” a memorial honoring those military service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. 4-H members put together the table with objects that symbolized the missing hero to include a white tablecloth, a rose, candle, Bible, a slice of lemon, a pinch of salt and an upside down glass.  For example, a pinch of salt symbolizes the tears of our missing soldiers and the families who long for them. Next the 4-H Club explained the meaning of the poppy and handed out a poppy to everyone in attendance. The 4-H group sang “God Bless the USA” and 4-H Leader Lisa Snedeker gave a short message on the importance and meaning of Memorial Day.

The Memorial Day Program concluded with a Benediction and the Retiring of the Colors. The American Legion Auxiliary served refreshments after the service.

The Artesian Memorial Day program was well attended.  Commander Karen Lambert was the MC for the program. Chaplain Karen Klinkner read the prayers. Josh Starzman, Tom Fridley, and Bill Austerman carried the flags and did the gun salute. Col(R) Mary Christenson was the Memorial Day speaker.   Sara Fridley from the Prairie Winds Quilts of Valor presented Quilts of Valor to Bob Hendrix, WW2 veteran; Howard Moore, Korean War veteran; and Karen Lambert, Vietnam War veteran. The American Legion Auxiliary members Holly Mckillop, Kathy Austerman, Dee Bechen, Laura Pearson, Karen Klinkner and Pam Moore served the lunch.

…See pictures in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!