While the icy roads and drifting snow left behind by the early winter storm on Monday made navigation difficult on Veterans Day, area schools and civic groups rose to the challenge and joined in the national day of remembrance in honor of past and present member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

 

While the two-hour delay in school start times forced cancellation of the programs at Clearview Elementary School and the Becker Primary School, the observances at the other Becker Schools, the Becker Area Senior Center and the Shepherd of Grace Community all went ahead as scheduled on Tuesday afternoon.

 

The Veterans Day program at BHS was held in the new Performing Arts Center, and began with a welcome from BHS media specialist and military veteran Nancy Lorentz, followed by the Posting of the Colors ceremony conducted by the Honor Guard from Becker American legion Post 193.

 

Choir Director Gretchen Bordson then led the school Chamber Choir in a performance of “The Star Spangled Banner”, after which Lorentz read the roll call of all of the 37 area veterans in attendance, who sat in a place of honor on the stage of the PAC during the program.

 

The opening address was delivered by Becker Legion member Roger Bigalke, who spoke of the sacrifices and the dangers faced by American service personnel from the time of the Civil War up to the present day, which including some sobering statistics on the number of troops who lost their lives each day in the conflicts he described.

 

After the choir performed “Song for the Unsung Hero”, Lorentz introduced the other featured speakers at the program, Staff Sgts. Steve and Nicole Popplewell, both of who have served multiple deployments in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Accompanied by a slide show that depicted the activities of their unit (both served in the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota Army National Guard, “The Red Bulls”). Each spoke of the difficulties and stresses of serving overseas, and the related difficulties their partners faced at home while the other was serving overseas. The presentation was an informative and moving look at the sacrifices made at home and abroad by American service personnel, and the students and staff in the audience gave the couple a standing ovation at the conclusion of their talk.

 

Honorees at the BHS Veterans Day program included the following:  Fred Goodrie, USAF/U.S. Army; Greg Storlien, MN Army Nat. Guard; Clark Johnson, U.S. Army; Ken Gates, U.S. Army; Dani Anderson, U.S. Army Reserve; Dan Westby, U.S. Army; Jeff Woltman, MN Army Nat. Guard; Dennis Lietha, U.S. Army; John Riebel, U.S. Army; Rick Zenner, USAF; John Fischbach, U.S. Army; Nicole Popplewell, MN Army Nat. Guard; Steve Popplewell, MN Army Nat. Guard; Dennis Barthel, U.S. Army; Wayne Peterson, USMC; Tom Cotton, U.S. Army; Ed Radeke, USAF; Gary Kern, U.S. Army; Milo Olson, U.S. Navy; Roger Bigalke, U.S. Navy; Barry Brown, U.S. Army; Adam Lumley, MN Army Nat. Guard; Wendy Stace, U.S. Army; Walter Eads, U. S. Coast Guard; Jeff Thelen, USAF; Wayne McCauly, MN Army Nat. Guard; Mike George, U.S. Army; Harry Wells, U.S. Navy; Howard Norgaard, U.S. Army; Donald Hansen, U.S. Army; Bobb Anderson, USAF; Jerry Nelson, U.S. Army; Chuck Stanger, U.S. Navy; Steve Malone, MN Army Nat. Guard; Keith O’Brien, MN Army Nat. Guard; Stuart Nelson, USMC and Nancy Lorentz, USAF/MN Army Nat. Guard.