The Veteran’s Day Program at Butterfield-Odin Public School was a rousing event which honored the sacrifices made by Veterans in the area and in America alike. Performances by the school’s concert band and choir, along with a stirring speech by Rick Leistikow made for an entertaining and informative program.
Preceding the program was a special dinner for veterans. Both the dinner and the ceremony that followed touched the hearts of the servicemen.
“The food was great, and the speaker was wonderful,” stated Robert Blom, a Navy man since 1998 who currently recruits in Mankato.
“I hope we keep this program going because it’s just great,” stated Ronny Olson who served from 1964-’68 in the Air Force.
Ronny and Robert were two of the 15 or so veterans who attended Wednesday’s event. Most of the veterans in attendance Wednesday are part of VFW Post 9607 in Butterfield. That group presented the Colors to kick off the program.
Principle Lisa Shellum led the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Then came back-to-back performances by the band under the direction of Dave Stordalen who spoke about how proud he was on Wednesday:
“The high school band is proud and I’m proud, of course,” states Stordalen. “One of the best things I get to do is honor Veterans and if I can get the kids to participate, it’s doubly rewarding.”
Special speaker Rick Leistikow headlined the program. Leistikow is a Wisconsin native now living in St. James and was a career military man. From 1977 to 1998 Leistikow served as a Ranger in the U.S. Army. He spent eight years overseas from Korea to West Germany to Italy, and he had two tours in Iraq that included liberating the Kurds during the Gulf War in 1991.
Leistikow spoke about a young private who lost his life in Iraq due to a tripped mine. As the young man was being helicoptered to safety a chaplain asked the young man if he knew what had happened to him. Leistikow says the young man said “it’s alright, I have no regrets.”
The young man exemplified what all American soldiers do -- liberating the repressed and helping others who can’t help themselves. Leistikow concluded his speech with a quote from former President Bill Clinton: “‘We honor our Veterans by being the best Americans we can be.’”
Pearl Grev took to the podium after Leistikow and gave an informative speech on the VFW Post and Auxiliaries. Among the many programs started by the VFW include medical compensation, the GI Bill, and Veterans Benefits. The Butterfield VFW started October 3, 1947 with 40 inaugural members.
Stordalen and the Butterfield-Odin band came on again to perform the Marches of the Armed Forces. Each of America’s five military branches were recognized -- Marine Corps, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Navy -- as veterans stood for their respective branch’s song. These performances were truly insipiring; they gave the crowd goose bumps to be sure.
Besides being the band director, Dave Stordalen is also a National Guardsman dating back from 1986 to present. There he is an Army musician whose duties include playing for fallen soldiers.
The program came to a close with a 21-Gun Salute which followed the retiring of Colors and a moment of silence. Finally, there was the customary playing of taps.
This was the 9th straight year Butterfield-Odin Public School held a Veteran’s Day Program. The event was started back up again by Principle Lisa Shellum.
St. James Plaindealer —
