Celebration of Freedom banquet
by Dave Lindee,
SMSgt (Ret), USAF
Parshall will have a "Celebration of Freedom" banquet on Saturday, June 21st at 4:00 PM during the city’s Centennial Celebration. The banquet and program will be held to honor the men and women of the region who have served in the Armed Forces and helped us keep the freedoms that are so unique to the United States. The North Dakota National Guard’s 188th Military Band will play before and during the event and Major General David Sprynczynatyk, the commander of the ND National Guard will be the guest speaker. Veterans and active duty members attending will be recognized for their service and presented a military "challenge coin" designed for this occasion.
Many military members face the very real threat of injury or even death. While family members at home worry about their loved ones, it’s the military member who endures the horrors of war and in the case of at least three area residents, the additional distress of prisoner of war camps. Dr. Robert Blatherwick was a POW in Poland during WWII, and Kenneth Charging and George Foote were POWs during the Korean conflict.
