Mount Pulaski observes Memorial Day

[May 29, 2019]  The Mount Pulaski American Legion Post #447 kicked off Memorial Day services at the Mount Pulaski Cemetery on Monday morning at 10 a.m. with opening remarks from Mayor Matt Bobell. Casey McCormick, Associate Minister of the Mount Pulaski Christian Church, led the community in prayer and he said a few brief words as well.

Col. Joe Lucas and Col. Stan Manes were also on hand to make introductions. Col. Manes, a native of Mount Pulaski, was just home for a few days from assignment in Poland and he was then heading back to Poland following the services. Col. Manes praised the community for attending these Memorial Day services for 40 years now.

A nice crowd was gathered and heard speeches from the local Memorial Day essay winners. Peyton Wyss, a recent graduate of Zion Lutheran School in Mount Pulaski, won the grade school essay contest; while Shaun Berry, a junior at Mount Pulaski High School, won the high school essay contest.

Zac Hinds was announced as a participant at Boys State this summer while Paige Stewart and Madison Abner were chosen to represent Mount Pulaski at Girls State.

Noah Riedle, a 2019 graduate of Mount Pulaski High School, was awarded the American Legion Post #447 Scholarship.

Col. William Lee Wheeler of the Illinois Air National Guard was the guest speaker for the event. This is Col. Wheeler's 42nd year with the Illinois Air National Guard. He is the son of the late Bill and Sandra Dehner Wheeler, who were Lincoln residents at one time.

Other highlights of the service at the Mount Pulaski Cemetery included the MPHS Band playing music that included a medley of military songs. Local organizations placed wreaths upon the Veterans Memorial. Children from the community also came forward with flowers for the Veterans Memorial. Those children were treated with gift certificates to the Dairy Bar of Mount Pulaski.

As always the service concluded with the three shot volley and "Taps" played on the bugle by Alan Roos.

Following the service at the Mount Pulaski Cemetery, local veterans visited Vonderlieth Living Center to offer their gratitude to the six veterans living in the nursing home.

A Memorial Day service also took place in rural Mount Pulaski at one of the most beautiful cemeteries around, Steenbergen Cemetery, which is located on top of a hill just off 1500th Avenue. On this gorgeous sunny day at 11:30 a.m. just the right amount of wind was blowing for the 173 flags to flap in the breeze as a crowd gathered to pay their respects here. The band played and a short service took place inside the Veail Chapel on the grounds of the cemetery. Local veterans assembled on the grass for another 21-gun salute and once again Alan Roos played "Taps." The veterans picked up the empty shell casings from the green grass when the gunfire was over and handed them out to the small children in attendance.

Touchingly, there were several small children in attendance at both services at the cemeteries. It's nice to see grandparents and parents teaching the children at an early age the true meaning of Memorial Day.

[Teena Lowery]