Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
MAJ. FRED Matusewic, U.S. Army Retired, delivers the main address Monday at Veterans Day services at the Hurley K-12 school gymnasium.
By RALPH ANSAMI
Hurley - The Gogebic Range never forgets its veterans.
On a snowy Monday morning with poor driving conditions, the Hurley K-12 gymnasium was about three-fourths full with students, teachers and community residents for a salute to veterans.
Two members of the senior class plan on enlisting in the armed services and 21 of the students attending the ceremony will likely one day be veterans, if averages hold true, said Maj. Fred Matusewic, of Hurley, U.S. Army retired, who delivered the main address.
Matusewic, commander of VFW Post 1580, recalled words spoken by President Ronald Reagan: "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction."
Matusewic told the students, "Our enemies want to take those freedoms away."
He explained the many sacrifices veterans make, such as missing Thanksgiving and Christmas at home, or the birth of their children. Some make the ultimate sacrifice of their lives, he added.
Matusewic spoke about Sept. 11, 2001, when America was attacked by enemies, and the resulting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"Veterans of all wars make tremendous sacrifices to ensure freedom," he said.
Vietnam veteran Arvid Sivula led a moment of silence for all prisoners of war, those missing in action and all who died in war.
Chris Kelly, high school history teacher, led the ceremony and the high school band and choir performed patriotic selections that revved up even the smallest students in the gym.
