OSMOND — Local veterans, Osmond students and staff, and community members gathered Monday, Nov. 11, at Osmond Community School to celebrate Veterans Day with speakers, music and songs.
Members of Osmond American Legion Post 326 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7838 and their auxiliaries, as well as members of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 326 entered the school gym to music played by the Osmond junior-senior high school band.
After presentation of The Colors, the band played the “National Anthem,” followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, led by elementary students. Rev. Scott Kirchoff gave the invocation.
Osmond Community School Principal Kurt Polt introduced the student who was the winner of this year’s Voice of Democracy speech contest, Jade Halsey. In her essay, Jade spoke on the theme, “IsAmerica Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?” Jade’s speech is printed on Page 2 of this issue.
Following the musical selection, “Let Freedom Ring,” by the juniorsenior high school chorus, VFW Commander Dan Wieneke introduced the speaker, Master Sergeant (retired) Paul Hughes.
Hughes began his speech by telling a humorous story: that a phrase such as “secure the building” will have different meanings to different branches of the military. For one, it means you set up a perimeter and nobody gets in or out, while for another it means you tie a rope to it so it doesn't float way.
Hughes then told several stories about his experiences while deployed overseas. In Afghanistan, he noticed children running around and playing, and was told they weren’t in school because the school had been burned to the ground by the Taliban, who found out they were educating girls.
He also told about the cemeteries he had visited in Europe, and how the people in those countries keep them in immaculate condition, seeing it as a sacred duty in thanks for the men who had liberated them or treated them well.
Hughes noted that he had attended several Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies in Great Britain, where thousands of British showed up for those events.
He concluded his speech by reading a poem written by a U.S. Soldier named Charles Province, entitled “It is the Soldier.” HUGHES IS VETERANS DAY SPEAKER; HALSEY IS VOD The band then played two more selections, “A House Divided” and “United States Armed Forces Salute.” During the latter song, veteran Shannon Wiseley named each branch of the military as their song was played and asked those who served in that branch to stand.
The students in grades four through sixth then sang “The Brave.” Pastor Kirchoff then gave the benediction, and the retiring of The Colors was accompanied by the OHS band playing the recessional.
Veterans, spouses and auxiliary members were invited to a lunch in the FCS room of the school following the program. As they walked through the hallway to the meal, elementary students waved flags and thanked them for their service.
