Remembering those who fought for us

Lopez middle and high school students took the time to honor, appreciate, and thank over 30 Lopez, Orcas and Friday Harbor veterans, as well as others who traveled from as far away as Seattle and even Oregon to attend its first ever veterans’ assembly.

The assembly left the veterans feeling appreciated. Many felt it was one of the best displays of thanks they had ever received.

“I’ve probably never been thanked for being a veteran like that,” said Lopezian Dennis Dagget, a Vietnam veteran who served December 1965-68 in the Army’s 4th infantry. “It was wonderful, I’ve never seen anything like it. This was really an event.”

The assembly began when the veterans were escorted to music and a standing-room-only crowd of over 100 students, parents and teachers, to their seats in the front two rows. Student Jenna Miesen then sang ‘The Star Spangled Banner’.

The veterans were introduced individually by name, rank, home town, years of service or tour of duty. Each was thanked individually with a handshake, a flag and a round of applause.

Guest speaker Hugh Fleet gave the students, teachers, parents and the veterans a history of American flags. Fleet talked a little about the nearly 25 different flags that have been important symbols in this country’s history. Among them were the Marine Corps’ ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ flag, another which read ‘Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death’, the Confederate flag, and the one by Betsy Ross which inspired today’s Stars and Stripes.

Next, students Isaac Berg and Christian Dupris presented a power-point presentation they had prepared in honor of the veterans. Set to Ray Charles’ “America the Beautiful,” it consisted of a slide show with images from Montana skies and mid-east prairies to Arlington National Cemetery and statues honoring heroes of past wars. They ended their presentation with a message for the veterans, “We will never forget your sacrifice for our freedom.”

Next, and what many felt to be the highlight of the assembly, was a speech by another guest speaker, Commander Mike Colson, a chaplain from Whidbey Island. Commander Colson kept the entire audience laughing with his charismatic and energetic stories of growing up in a house overflowing with siblings, and joining the Marine Corps at 17.

At the end of his speech, Commander Colson had a message for the audience and the veterans. “There are heroes in the front two rows,” he said.

The Lopez choir sang “This Land is Your Land,” and asked the veterans to accompany them. The assembly ended with taps and a moment of silence. The veterans then were escorted out two by two.

The veterans met the community in the school library for coffee and cookies. “I thought it was very well done,” said Mel Winsor of Orcas Island. Winsor served in the Army from 1969 to 1971.

“It was very inspiring,” added Jon Bostick of Lopez, who served in the Navy from 1971 to 1975.

E.C. Dagget traveled from Eugene, Ore. to attend the assembly. “This program was as good as I’ve ever seen,” he said. E.C. Dagget, father of veteran Dennis Dagget, joined the Air Corps (before the Air Force was instituted) in 1941. He enlisted right after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and served as a Staff Sergeant and a Gunnery.

To end the day, Lopez veteran Otto Kjargaard, as well as staff from Lopez school, the guest speakers and some community members, went to the Center Church cemetery, where they placed red, white and blue carnations on all the veterans’ graves.

Veteran Mike Colacarro, who is from Marysville, helped organize the veterans’ assembly. Colacarro has been organizing events like this since 1982. “We’re teachers, we try to educate. This (veterans’ assembly) is about history.”

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read.