American Legion and LS community working together to thank patriots

Those serving in the military are remembered BY PAM STEVENS | EDITOR In celebration of Armed Forces Day and as a tribute to all of those men and women who have served in the military, the American Legion brought the Lake Stevens community together for a photo in front of the city’s War memorial on Saturday.

Over 115 Lake Stevens citizens came together in support of the troops currently serving in the military who have ties to Lake Stevens.

While posing for the picture folks got to see the Bla

ckJack airplanes fly overhead in perfect formation at exactly 12 noon.

There were many reasons that people wanted to share in this event.

“My husband is getting ready to deploy to Iraq and we wanted to show our support,” city councilmember Kathy Holder said of her and her two girls.

Some were there to not only show support to the troops but to show community spirit.

“This is one thing the community can do to show community spirit and show them that we care about what they are doing,” past Lake Stevens Mayor Lynn Walty said.

Boy Scouts from Troop 41 were also there to show their support.

“We are working on a project to send food and other goods to Iraq,” Jake Olsen said. “It’s a neat little thing we can do for them.”

There will be Memorial Day events sponsored by the American Legion which will include the annual poppy sale to raise funds that are used to support the local food bank, Veteran’s and Memorial Day services, flag retirement ceremonies, memorial services for deceased local veterans along with many other projects supported by Post 181.

Poppy sales will take place on Saturday, May 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout Lake Stevens. All monies go back into the community.

On Monday, May 28 at 11 a.m. there will be a community-wide Memorial Day Service at the downtown Lake Stevens War Memorial.

The service will include lowering all flags to half staff, a speaker, reading the names of those engraved on the War Memorial, and the playing of “Taps.”

There will also be a Memorial Day Service at the Machias Cemetery at 12 p.m. which will include a 21-gun salute and the playing of “Taps”.

The following is a list of all of those who will be remembered at the Memorial Day service and the wars in which they served.

The criteria for having their name placed on the War Memorial includes being a Lake Stevens High School graduate or those whose parents are long-time residents of Lake Stevens.

World War I: John Ansel, Wayne Gregory, Charles M. Iverson, Charles L. Kelly, Albert Leifels and Frank Mobius.

World War II: Don C. Aiken, Ben Backstrom, Charles Bagley, Robert Barnes, Frank Burns, Ervin Cooper, Edgar Dake, Ira Johnson, Raymond Johnson, Howard Jubb, George Grenz, Gilbert Kennaugh, Robert Mathias, Don McLean, Mike Shaler, James Keyes and Jack Hellum.

Korea: Jack Maltsberger.

Vietnam: Bion Stone, James Traw, Gary Knavel, William Pelton, Sterling Steadman, Charles O. Hamilton and Glen H. Lindell.
Iraq: Cody S. Calavan and Jordan Hess.

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