The 19th annual Veterans Day Assembly began at 10 a.m. in the Perry Performing Arts Center with the posting of the colors by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts 2060 and the American Legion Post 85.
World War II veteran and Legion of Honor recipient Mahlon Conaway of Perry led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” was sung by the PHS Select Choir under the directorship of Jenn Nelson.
Bosnia war veteran Mike Powell was the master of ceremonies and delivered the opening remarks at the ceremony, discussing the origin of America’s Veterans Day traditions.
Musical selections followed Powell’s opening remarks when the first grade classes from the Perry Elementary School sang “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)” and “Thank a Veteran.” The young patriots were directed by Perry Elementary School Vocal Music Directors Shaylena Bell and Devin Schroeder.
After American Legion Boys State participant and PHS senior Devon Archer read an essay entitled, “What Is a Veteran?” the PHS Select Choir under the directorship of Jenn Nelson sang “A Tribute to the Armed Services.” Veterans rose from their seats when their branches’ songs were sung.
The guest speaker at this year’s assembly was Master Sgt. Deanndra Head, chief of staff in the Iowa Air National Guard offices in Johnston. She noted 2.8 million men and women now serve in the U.S. armed services, which represents less than 1 percent of the U.S. population.
Head said Iowa is home to 240,000 veterans, and “we especially honor our wounded for their service,” for they made sacrifices in “often uncelebrated ways.”
She said Oct. 7, 2016, marked the 15th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and nearly half of all U.S. veterans are aged 22 to 30. The proportion of young veterans is its highest since the Vietnam War era of the 1960s and 1970s, Head said.
Following Head, Perry City Council member Dr. Randy McCaulley sang “God Bless the U.S.A.,” a patriotic song by Lee Greenwood. “Cause the flag still stands for freedom / and they can’t take that away,” McCaulley sang.
Perry Mayor Jay Pattee read out the roll call of Perry’s U.S. World War II veterans.
A video called “Perry’s Band of Brothers and Sisters” was shown to the assembly, followed by the Bass Clef Choir, under the direction of PHS Vocal Music Director Jenn Nelson, singing “Tell My Father,” a song dedicated to former PHS Vocal Music Director and U.S. veteran Alan Hall.
The PHS Speech Team, under the direction of directors Wendy Bollhoefer and Cathy Petersen read “In Flanders Fields,” a poem by the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. The poem’s second stanza reads,
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Esther Puderbaugh then performed a powerful rendition of “America the Beautiful.” Puderbaugh is the granddaughter of retired PHS English teacher Linda Kaufman, who was instrumental in founding the PHS Veterans Day tradition in 1988.
Angel Escobar and Stuart Ramos played “Taps” prior to the retiring of the colors at the end of the program.
The day began with a free breakfast starting at 6 a.m. for all veterans, active service and National Guard and Reserve personnel at the Perry Hy-Vee. Refreshment provided by the Dallas County Hospital were available from 8-8:45 a.m. in the Dr. Eugene Brady Library at PHS, and a Veterans Day luncheon followed the assembly in the PHS gymnasium.
What a terrific and honorable program! Veterans can be proud of how they were honored at this program. The program gets better and better every year. Thanks to all those who were involved in putting the program together.