HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – On a snowy and chilly Veterans Day morning in Havre, a few dozen people gathered in Town Square to honor those who have served our country.
The event lasted about 15 minutes and featured an honor guard, an opening and closing prayer and the playing of The Star Spangled Banner.
VFW Post 497 Commander Dale Herd was the master of ceremonies, and says it was important that this event went on, even in the midst of a pandemic.
“There are so many Veterans around this country that can’t get out. And those that do, it really means a lot to them. This is their day where they can kind of look back and reflect on what they’ve done and the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood that they’ve had with other service members. This is their day to think about it and remember it and remember those who are gone before us, because this is a big part of their life. Whether it was two years, four years, or 24 years, these are memories that they are going to have.”
Before the ceremony, the Town Square had to be cleared of snow.
“I came out here and shoveled, and a good friend of mine had a snowblower in town. We came over and cleaned up this morning and put some sand down just for a little bit of traction. But it wasn’t bad. Took us an hour, an hour-and-a-half.”
Although this year’s Veterans Day Ceremony was significantly abbreviated, Herd was impressed with the turnout.
“That was actually a good turnout considering the day. Considering the weather and everything else, that was a pretty good turnout. We usually have an indoor portion to this…We usually go into the Elks Club for an indoor service (after the outdoor portion). With all the COVID and precautions going on, we felt it was just not a good idea. But we still wanted to honor the Veterans and provide a ceremony for them.”
Herd wants to remind local Veterans looking to socialize with others who have served that the Havre VFW and Legion meet on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 PM at the Elks Club.
