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Veteran’s Day Program at Freeport Junior High School November 10th
Freeport School District #145 plans a Veterans’ Appreciation Program.
The Freeport School District will be out of session on November 11th, celebrating the national Veteran’s Day holiday. A special Veteran’s Appreciation Program is planned for the day before - Tuesday, November 10th.
The program will begin at 1:00 PM at the Freeport Junior High School Conference Center. The entrance to the conference center is immediately right of the Jeannette Lloyd Theater entrance at the east end of the building. Parking is available at the lot immediately in front of the tennis courts which is also at the east of the building.
Attendees will be welcomed by the Empire School 4th grade chorus, followed by the NJROTC Color Guard. Other program highlights include recognition of the Freeport School District’s own faculty and staff veterans, video and Drill Team presentations, and a performance by the Freeport High School varsity choir.
The Veteran’s Appreciation Program concludes at 1:40 PM and will be followed by a brief reception ending at 2:00 PM. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. If interested in attending, please contact Freeport High School at 815-232-0400 so that ample refreshments can be prepared.
Do you know what the VAC in Freeport is? By Keith Bardell The VAC in Freeport is the Veterans Assistance Commission. It was started, initially, on July 1, 2007 as an expanded project proposed by Henry Boettner. He is the man who helped get the 7 passenger VA van ride program started, which takes veterans to the VA hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. The Veterans Assistance Commission is run by a wonderful woman named Maryna L. Misiewicz, whom you see pictured. The office is located at 7 N. Walnut Avenue in Freeport. Maryna is very happy that she is located inside of the Township office, because she has been able to gain valuable knowledge from the Township employees, who are used to helping people meet their basic needs. The question then becomes, who can get help, and how do they get it. If you are a veteran, and you must live in Stephenson County, you can ask for assistance. Do not forget, you worked for this, you agreed to serve your country, this is not welfare, it is your tax dollars at work! The Commission is funded by county tax dollars. Maryna asks that you please come in with your DD214 in hand. This will speed up the process. The VAC will help veterans meet their basic needs, like their rent payment, help with their utility bills, and other personal items needs. If you are a veteran, and you need a ride to the Madison VA hospital, please call, 24 hours in advance, 1-815-233-5284. The van can even pick up people on their way, like those in Cedarville, Orangeville, Monticello, and even New Glarus. If you are a veteran in need of assistance, call Maryna Misiewicz at 1-815-233-7282. She understands what your needs are, after all, she is a veteran herself, with 2 tours of duty, one 2 year tour in Vietnam, and a 1 year tour in Cambodia. Her current project is to get a grant to provide the veterans with a handi-capped equipped van, as the current van is not equipped to handle the disabled. She is hopeful that she will get a grant to accomplish this task. Hats off to Maryna! P. S. Please visit our Illinois Veterans page for even more information on other services that are available to Illinois Veterans.
The following article is reprinted from the November, 2008 issue, with the permission of The Highland Chronicle. Salute to Highland’s Vets Jean M. Johnson Highland Community College is home to many veterans of all age groups and eras. Three of these servicemen are Keith Bardell, Joel Boettner and Jason Carter. All three have different experiences, yet have the distinction of having served their country. Bardell served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves from 1987 until 1995. During his two years of active service, he wasn’t sent overseas. He is a full time student who has had no difficulties returning to school and a civilian life. He chose Highland Community College because, "It is located in Freeport, and the state pays for the tuition for Vets like me if they return to go to school in Illinois vs. another state. "He doesn’t plan on transferring to a four-year school. He is here to pick up some business courses to help him advance his personal business ventures, such as an online newspaper. The biggest challenge he faces on a daily basis is the same as any other college student and that is financial concerns. He stated, "The biggest challenge is affording everything in this new era of our economy with rising food and fuel costs. That is to say, it is hard to take on extra work for extra money and still keep full-time status as a student." Boettner served in the U.S. Army on active duty from April of 2004 until May of 2008. He is currently serving in the Army National Guard. He spent fifteen months in Iraq, and was able to visit fourteen different bases and some historical sites while over there. He was a chaplain’s assistant, and he had some harrowing experiences during his time spent in Iraq. In one of his Journal entries, he tells of visiting some soldiers as a mortar shell went off nearby and the devastation that ensued. He has seemingly made the transition to the life of a college student stating, "I am accustomed to a set schedule but now I have choices. The biggest challenge that I’ve had is learning the best way to study again." Boettner, also a full time student, chose Highland Community College because HCC is close to home he would be near his family. He is considering transferring to Moody Bible Institute to study at the Seminary school there. Carter served in the U.S. Marine Corps from February of 2003 until February of 2007. He has recently been reactivated and will have to resume his military duty at the end of this semester. He spent time overseas in a non-combat zone in Djibouti Africa. He has had no trouble making his adjustment to living the civilian life, though he credits the military with teaching him the skills he needs to be successful in college. He chose Highland Community College also because it is close to home and he can use the Illinois Veteran’s Scholarship here to pay for tuition. He had planned on finishing his Associates degree at HCC then transfer to Southern Illinois University, but his recall has changed his plans. He adds however, "Even though I’m only being recalled for 12- 15 months, I won’t receive my orders to report until after this semester, but once that time is served I plan to continue my education here at Highland." These three men are only a handful of all of Highland Community College District 519’s Veterans. All of our servicemen and women are deserving of our gratitude. As Veteran’s Day approaches on November 11, find a Vet, shake their hand and tell them Thank You!
Veterans Services Offered by Keith Bardell Keith Bardell, the owner and publisher of SeeFreeNews.com, is a veteran. He proudly served in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Army reserve. A lot of information is available, and a lot of support available, at Vets4Veterans. There are many resources that should be utilized for any person that is a veteran, or a member of the family of any veteran. Proudly view their site at vets4veterans and please let us know any of your comments about the services you receive from them, by posting a comment on our Blog page. Having been in the Army, one of the best experiences in his life, Keith Bardell came away with a great deal of satisfaction of having served his country, and has received many benefits from doing so. Benefits such as VA Health insurance, and paid college tuition. Be sure to visit their site to see what may be available for you.
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