Numerous Veterans Day events pay tribute to those who served

Published by admin on Wed, 11/14/2018 - 11:37am

The honor-guard presents the colors at Weiser High School on Friday for a Veterans Day program. The ceremony included a short history of Veterans Day, introduction of local veterans and the reading of names of those who died in wars going back to World War I. Those in uniform participating included, from left, Brad Attebery (Army), Charles Marvin (Army), Dick Bergquist (Navy) and Stanley Wilson (Army). Photo by Steve Lyon

The Weiser Senior and Community Center hosted a Veterans Day lunch on Friday. During the program four local veterans were presented with a Quilt of Valor. Above, the veterans and the local quilters who stitched them pose for a photo with their quilts. From left, Kenneth Webb (Army 1950-1953), William Tarter (Army 1957-1960) with Connie Lang; T.J. Schmidt (Marines 1999-2003) with Linda Smith; Ken Perkins (Army 1958-1964) with Barbara Goff. Trina Leininger made Webb’s quilt but could not make the veterans event. Veterans were treated to lunch at the center. Photo by Steve Lyon
By: 
Steve Lyon
Events to commemorate Veterans Day were held at all four Weiser schools on Friday, and also at the Weiser Senior and Community Center, where the program included the presentation of four Quilts of Valor to local veterans.
  Navy veteran Jim Grunke and the other veterans who donned their uniforms to participate in the events had a busy day traveling to all four schools and the senior center. Friday’s activities preceded the official Veterans Day, which fell on Sunday, Nov. 11, this year. 
There has been a veterans program every November at Weiser High School for more than two decades. This year, the 30-minute event began with a musical tribute to all of the branches of the military  by the WHS band led by Jake Fortin. The song incorporated the themes from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. The high school choir, under the direction of Mike Turner, sang the National Anthem. 
Grunke, who had a total of 37 years of military service, also gave a short history lesson on the origin of Veterans Day, which used to be called Armistice Day. In 1947 it became Veterans Day and in 1978 the date was officially declared as Nov. 11. 
The program at the high school also included the reading of the names of military personnel from Washington County who died in wars dating back to World War I, the end of which took place exactly 100 years ago on Nov. 11. Following the list of names, John Hoff played Taps on his trumpet.
Veterans in the audience were introduced to a round of applause. Each gave his name and which branch of service he served in and what years.
Sgt. Charles Marvin, who served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, was one member of the color guard that posted the colors with practiced precision and retrieved them at the end of the program. He said participating in the veterans program at the schools and senior center is always an honor. 
“We have been doing it together for a while. We just kind of tune things up every year,” he said.
There also were similar veterans programs at Weiser Middle School, Park Intermediate School and Pioneer Elementary School on Friday.
Following the high school event, the Weiser Senior and Community Center hosted a Veterans Day ceremony and lunch that filled every table. Grunke again led the veterans tribute and the roll call of war dead was read. The high school choir performed again, and high school student Kali Branstetter also did a solo song on the fiddle. 
Four local veterans were presented with Quilts of Valor during the program. Those receiving a quilt were introduced and their branch of the military and years of service were noted. 
 They included Ken Perkins, who served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1964. William Tarter also served in the Army from 1957 to 1960. Kenneth Webb was drafted and served from 1950 to 1953. The youngest of the four veterans, T.J. Schmidt, spent four years in the Marine Corps, serving from 1999 to 2003. 
The quilts were stitched by a group of quilters that includes Connie Lang, Barbara Goff, Linda Smith and Trina Leininger. A total of 60 handmade quilts have been presented to Washington County veterans since May of 2014. 
For the fifth year, the Weiser Elks Lodge served a free meal to veterans and their spouses on Sunday, Nov. 11, as a way to honor veterans. 
Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday observed annually on Nov. 11 that honors military veterans – all persons who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I.
Major hostilities of World War I ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. 

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Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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