May 26, 2017
When I was a youngster in Upsala, we always had a Memorial Day service in the school gym, followed by a parade down Main Street. Sometime after I graduated in 1961, the practice died out. Then in the 80’s, Lorna Koehn, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary brought back the Memorial Day Celebration in Upsala. I can still picture her marching in front of a group of children, each holding a bunch of lilac flowers. The parade ends at the City Park, where the children still wait in anticipation for the chance to collect the spent brass shells after the 21 gun salute. They make good whistles. After that, the `Upsala First Responders’ serves a picnic lunch including “Bee Bop A Ree Bop Rhubarb Pie”. Be sure to take the time to honor those that you know who have served. If you meet a service member, simply put our your hand and say “Thank you for serving”. They deserve our respect.
You can help to raise funds for the Veterans Educational Historic Monument art project by going to www.vetsart.org The Army, Navy and Coast Guard paintings are hanging in the Committal Hall of the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls. Funds are needed to complete the Marine Corps and the Air Force paintings. The Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery Memorial Day service will be Sunday starting with The Richfield Symphonic Band at 1:30 pm followed by the program at 2 pm. The speaker is CSM (Retired) James Kampsen, Command Sergeant Major, 34th Combat Aviation Brigade.
Here is the Vets Art PSA. https://youtu.be/gcOEvxkesZw
The APHC this week is looking back to January 2016 with a rebroadcast from a show performed at the Fitzgerald Theater. Ben Folds sings “Capable of Anything” and “Not a Fan,” and teams up with Chris for “Army”; Ed Helms stopped by as a member of the APHC acting company and tried his hand at a little storytelling. Brandi Carlile performed “The Eye” and led everyone on “Lovesick Blues” to close out the proceedings. Plus: tunes from Chris and his fellow Punch Brothers, along with friend Sarah Jarosz; scripts from the Royal Academy of Radio Actors, Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Fred Newman; and a few reminders that in Minnesota, even as summer nears, winter is always on the horizon.
“Moral courage, the courage of one’s convictions, the courage to see things through the eyes of the world, is in constant conspiracy against the brave. It is the age old struggle – the roar of the crowd on one side and voice of the conscience on the other.” General Douglas MacArthur
Category : General 