Korean War Veteran Ron Borowski salutes flag during the National Anthem at the Veterans Day program in Waterford at Fox River Middle School Nov. 4. Borowski spoke about the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight at the event. (Photo by Jennifer Eisenbart)
Middle school students honor military service
By Tracy Ouellette
Staff Writer
For the past six years Integrity Funeral Services has teamed up with Fox River Middle School in a Veterans Day program to honor current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
This year, the event was on Nov. 4 at the Waterford school.
“We do it early because this is about the veterans,” Integrity Funeral Services owner Cindi Schweitzer said. “We want to honor them and on Veterans Day they’re so busy doing presentations, marching in parades and everything else, we hold this early.”
Schweitzer the middle school students have collected money in conjunction with the program to help support the Honor Flight.
“They collect coins because while the veterans fly for free, the chaperones don’t,” Schweitzer said. “Over the past five years, they’ve collected enough to send 22 veterans on the Honor Flight.
Schweitzer said there were 105 vets in attendance for the program, which included guest speakers, music, an Honor Flight presentation, reflection time, gun salute and more. Tonette Walker, the first lady of Wisconsin, was the keynote speaker.
“She said it was one of the best programs she’s been to,” Schweitzer said.
Other guest speakers included Waterford’s Essman-Schroeder American Legion Post 20 Commander Ken Smars, Wind Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8343 member Bill Schilling, Stars and Stripes Honor Flight representative and Korean War Veteran Ron Borowski, World War II Veteran Chuck Franzke, Fox River Middle School Principal Darlene Markle, and Air Force recruiter Lisa Viramontes.
Middle schoolers read essays and recited poetry. Lexi Stock read the poem “The Noble and the Brave,” Zach Thomas recited “Thank You Veterans,” Ali Anderson read the poem “The Moment of Silence,” and Jacob Klingsten and Kaitlin Pankowski read “The America I Believe In” essays.
The Fox River Middle School choral ensemble performed “Because of the Brave” and an “Armed Forces Medley” and Adam Schweitzer sang the National Anthem during the opening. The color guard was provided by American Legion Post 20.
Schweitzer said there was also a “Hometown Heroes” video which featured former local students who now serve in the military.
“That was really cool to have because the kids can relate to them,” she said.
After the program, the staff at Integrity, along with five students from Fox River and Markle, served a plated meal to the veterans at Toothpicks in Waterford.
“And we got a DJ for the students at the school,” Schweitzer said.
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