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REFLECTIONS

Steele County Times - Staff Photo - Create Article
Morris Lembke, right, and his father, the late Marvin H. Lembke, left, admire the Marvin H. Lembke paver installed on the Blooming Prairie Veterans Memorial. Marvin H. Lembke passed away on Dec. 1, 2020. Morris and sons are carrying on the Masons’ tradition started many years ago. Staff photo by Howard Lestrud
BP love for veterans shows in Veterans Memorial
By
Howard Lestrud, Contributing Writer
Howard Lestrud, Reflections

It was said nearly four years ago that the Blooming Prairie community loves its veterans. It’s still true today that the BP area embraces its veterans by saluting them in a special way on Nov. 11 of each year.

The love for its veterans can be easily understood when viewing the Blooming Prairie Veterans Memorial just east of the BP Servicemen's Club and west of Highway 218.

The Blooming Prairie Veterans Memorial was officially dedicated on Monday, Nov. 11, 2019, Veterans Day. A crowd of more than 300 was a part of this historic occasion to dedicate a memorial that was built by lots of kind hearts.

Blooming Prairie American Legion Post 52 and Auxiliary, VFW Post 878 and Auxiliary, and the Sons of the American Legion invite the public and all veterans and their families to attend the annual Veterans Day events on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

It was only a dream nine years ago. There are currently 543 pavers on the Memorial walls and more to come. There are 175 spots left.

Congratulations to all who had a part in making this dream possible. To the head of the list goes Tom Peterson and the Sons of the American Legion. It was Tom who regularly addressed the public as to the goal of a veterans memorial sometime to be realized.

Tom passed his enthusiasm about a memorial to many others, especially to the Veterans Memorial Committee. Kurt Blome is currently president of this committee.

“We are very proud of this community accomplishment,” said Blome.

At that Nov. 11, 2014, Veterans Day celebration, Tom challenged Blooming Prairie and the surrounding community to raise $250,000 to construct a suitable veterans memorial. Many individuals and organizations came forward, too many to mention.

It took a little over four years for the $250,000 goal to be achieved, but it was attained and the efforts to bring in more monies to take care of maintenance continues. Concrete was poured about 10 days ago for a parking lot. The project cost $68,000, remarked Peterson and Blome.

More than $500,000 has been raised for the BP Veterans Memorial project, Peterson revealed.

Peterson and Blome called the work by Lembke Masonry of Blooming Prairie “state of the art. Owner Morris Lembke was on site to oversee the project.
 

I am so pleased to have been involved in this project, providing publicity in the Steele County Times all along the construction.  Even more emotional for me, and for others, was the honor to be placed on the Blooming Prairie Veterans Memorial walls.

My father-in-law, the late Dale Mowers, also had his paver placed posthumously on the BP Veterans Memorial.

The BP Veterans Memorial is a “must stop” for visitors to Blooming Prairie. Many random and some professional photographs have been taken at the BP Veterans Memorial. The Memorial is lighted after dark.

When attending the Veterans Day activities on Saturday, please take time to peruse the 543 names of veterans placed on the pavers.

Veterans will be honored with special events on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. Coffee and doughnuts will be served in the Foxhole at 9:30 a.m. At 11 a.m., U.S. Navy veteran Gary Thorson will raise the flag during ceremonies outside the club rooms. Dinner will be served at 12 noon.

Veterans eat free. All others will be $15. The menu will include turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, glazed carrots, a roll, and pumpkin bar. Cost for those 6-12 is $5, and those under 5 are free.

A Veterans Day program follows the dinner with a POW/MIA reading and a Quilts of Valor presentation. Twelve quilts will be given. Joyce Johns, president of the Blooming Prairie VFW Auxiliary will be emcee.

Peterson and Blome also congratulate those in Owatonna who were involved in building an Owatonna Veterans Memorial, which will be dedicated Saturday morning.

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