Taryn Panka and Ruth Jerzak saluted the American Flag in Ivanhoe on Monday. Lincoln Jerzak folded the flag.Ivanhoe VFW members listened during the event. Brynn Rost hosted a drawing of her state during “Fifty Nifty United States” song by the third and fourth graders. In Ivanhoe, the Kindergarten kids presented the strengths of the Veterans with each letter.

Veterans: ‘You have our back’ ­

“We rely on you — you have our hearts; We Honor You — the Heroes of Red White and Blue ... For all you do — For all you’ve done, we honor you!

The strains of the song, “Thank You Veterans” rang out at Lincoln Elementary school in Ivanhoe on Monday as the Fifth and Sixth Graders joined their voices in honor of veterans everywhere.

“It’s one small way to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said student Parker Bradley.

The school joined forces with the Ivanhoe VFW to pay tribute to veterans in their community. Student Lucas Rybinski told the history of Veterans Day, saying it began in 1938 when it was made a legal holiday.

A “Fifty Nifty United States” selection by the third and fourth graders presented each and every state as important landmarks in the history of the United States. Even student Lincoln Jerzak joined in with folding the American flag.

The Kindergarten issued a “Thank You” to all the veterans, each with a pole and a letter on it spelling “Veterans.” It was a small way, each small child could get a chance to interact with veterans.

Guest Speaker Byron Higgin, Mascot Publisher, said the students “Veterans” theme fit right in with his speech — which let the kids know what a “veteran” was, how they were the guardians for all of them and how the goal was to allow everyone in the United States to be free.

Higgin described the veteran as someone who was willing to sacrifice so each person in the room could be free to make their own choices.

He said, “You have a choice of which church to go to ... or not to go at all. You can choose where you go to school, what you want to be when you grow up. You are FREE to do anything you want.”

“In other countries that’s not the case. If we were overtaken by another country, they would tell you what you would be and where they wanted you to go.”

He kept referring to the Ivanhoe VFW members sitting in the front row as those who chose to protect, “Each and every one of you. They have helped make sure you are free to make your own choices.”

Then he went on to talk about the price of freedom, describing not just those who have died for their country, but those who came home and had to live with the consequences of their service each and every day.

“That’s the price we pay for freedom ... so each and every one of you can make choices.” He told about the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers in New York and how that was a “terrorist” attack on our nation.

“Veterans are fighting to keep those people out of our nation,” he said.

“Freedom isn’t free. There is always a price to pay.” The Ivanhoe Veterans Day Program included a “Thank You Veterans” read by Claire Rost and Emma Jerzak. “I found it to be a moving services and the kids put a lot of hard work into the event,” said Higgin. “In fact, I was impressed by how deeply they seemed to care about patriotism.”

“It was my intent to let the kids know exactly what veterans are, what being free involves and what the cost of freedom really is,” he said. Many veterans feel we’re losing patriotism in America, “And it’s nice to see it’s being taught in the Lincoln Elementary School in Ivanhoe.”

“The day will come when it’s their turn to stand up for America — and it’s up to us to lay the groundwork for them.”

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