By Elaine Rassel

Thursday (Nov. 11) a Veterans Day program was held at 10 a.m. at Remsen in the school auditorium honoring the veterans who had served or were still serving their country.
The program began with the Posting of the Colors. Miss Davis instructed the MMCRU Band as they played, “The Star Spangled Banner”.
Olivia Spenner welcomed all those who had come to the program.
Sitting off to the left, was a Table signifying the Prisoners of War and Those Missing in Action. The tradition of setting a separate table in honor of our prisoners of war and missing comrades has been in place since the end of the Vietnam War. The manner in which this table is decorated is full of special symbols to help us remember our brothers and sisters in arms.
The table is set for one, symbolizing the frailty of one isolated prisoner. The white table cloth draped over the table represents the purity of their response in our country’s call to arms.

A single red rose in the vase, signifies the blood that many have shed in sacrifice to ensure the freedom of our beloved United States of America. This rose also reminds us of the family and friends of our missing comrades who keep the faith while awaiting their return. The red ribbon represents the love of our country which inspired them to answer the nation’s call. A Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God. (The Bible has been removed from several displays at federal facilities due to pressure from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.)
A slice of lemon on a bread plate represents the bitter fate of the missing. A salt shaker, with salt sprinkled on the bread plate, is symbolic of the countless fallen tears of families as they wait. The inverted glass represents the fact that the missing and fallen cannot partake. The lit candle is reminiscent of the light of hope which lives in our hearts to illuminate their way home, away from their captors, to the open arms of a grateful nation. The empty chair reminds us that the missing and fallen aren’t present. The chair has a black covering with POW-MIA over a silhouette of the missing person and “You Are Not Forgotten” under the silhouette.
Alyson Ball, Kennedy Tentinger, and Mykin Youde read “A Letter to a Soldier”.
It was time to recognize the Veterans sitting up front. Those serving in the Army were: Ab Smith, Thomas Augustine (1962-1964), John Cochran, Donald Keffeler, Donald Konz, Theodore Nothem, and Marvin Pottebaum (4 years).
The Army National Guard: Clark Rainboth (1970-1976), and David Nicks.
The Air Force Veteran was Dan Ohlendorf (1970-1975); Milton Wurth; and Micheal Delperdang (6 Years).
Marines Veteran was Dennis Bush (1971-1973). and Navy Veteran was Dennis Specht.
Note: The aforementioned list are those who signed in although I did notice there were others who had not signed in that were sitting up front.
Miss DeVos led the MMCRU Choir as they sang a medley of American service songs entitled, “An American Celebration”.
This year’s guest speaker was Dave Nicks who gave a very interesting and inspiring speech. Taylor Harpenau and Isabelle Olson presented a gift to him of a wooden flag with the inscription: “A true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him but because he loves what is behind him”.
Father Eugene Murray gave the Benediction. There was a folding of the Flag. Hannah Neddermeyer gave closing remarks followed by the Colors Retrieved. As it was nearing 11 a.m., we heard the 21 Gun Salute and Taps thus ending the Veterans Day program.