November 6, 2019 – Jackson, WI – The annual Veterans Day Observance at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School (KML) is Thursday, November 7. Former student Elizabeth Bieberitz said of the service, “It’s inspiring to see all these amazing men and women come together and be able to honor them for the work they have done for our country.”
Everyone is welcome to come or view the live stream of the service.
This will be the 16th year KML has put on this service. The Veterans Day Observance at KML started in 2003, when former principal Keith Bowe got the idea from Wisconsin Lutheran High School. Principal Bowe took a position at Wisconsin Lutheran the following year, but KML’s next principal, Steve Granberg, continued the service.
Principal Granberg started the four-year theme rotation; Pow/MIA, The Story Behind the Origin of Taps, While Families Wait, and the Flag-Folding Ceremony. This year’s service will be the Flag-Folding Ceremony.
Current principal, Jamie Luehring took over when Principal Granberg took a different position in 2014. Helping him is Wendy Zimmermann, administrative assistant to the principal. Zimmermann has been helping with the service since 2005, organizing, creating pamphlets, and overseeing registration.
Zimmermann had few personal connections with veterans, with only one uncle serving in Vietnam. She remembers sending voice tapes with her sister to her uncle, telling him of the things they were doing. Organizing the program helped her to make more connections and meet more veterans.
This will be the last year Zimmermann will be helping with the service, as she retires in December. When asked about what the service means to her, Zimmermann said, “It’s a really special day to me, it’s very emotional.”
Every year, around 300 guests are in attendance, about 200 of those are veterans or currently serving members of the military. The entire service is truly special, senior Megan Moeller said, “It’s humbling to see the people who have served to protect my freedom. It’s so easy to take my freedom for granted, and the Veterans Day service is a reminder of the men and women who have fought to protect it.”
