VERSAILLES – On Thursday, the Versailles FFA hosted a dinner at the school for Veterans in the surrounding area. The program honored active duty military as well as veterans who were in attendance as well as deceased.
To start off the night, those in attendance enjoyed a meal that consisted of BBQ pork and shredded chicken sandwiches, Amish noodles, chili soup, salad and various desserts. Also as part of the meal, the guests enjoyed hydroponics lettuce that was grown by the Greenhouse Management Classes, and cookies from the Versailles Family Consumer Sciences Classes. During the meal, everyone had the opportunity to look at a table set up for POW (Prisoners of War). This table was set for one and had many objects that represented the hardships and bitterness of being lost at war. After the meal, the veterans enjoyed listening to a poem recited by Rhyland Broerman and Eden Barga.
After the poem, the guests enjoyed entertainment from Tiger Tunes, Amplified, and a guest speaker, Representative Angie King, who is a part of the Ohio State House of Representatives. A special thank you to Tiger Tunes and Erin Rismiller director of the Tiger Tunes and Amplified and Mason DeMange director of Amplified for sharing their time and talents with the Veterans.
Then both active military members and veterans were honored with a slideshow. Active military duty and all Veterans were also given patriotic horseshoe stars made by the Versailles Ad Ed Mechanical Principle classes, a single rose designed by the Greenhouse Management class, thank you notes from Versailles High School students and coloring pages from Versailles Elementary.
In conjunction with the Veterans Dinner, a patriotic art contest was held and thank you to Mrs. Ranly and Mrs. Sutter for helping oversee this project. The art projects were displayed at the dinner. The greenhouse management class also made red, white and blue flower arrangements that were given out as door prizes. A special thanks to Nature Reflections-Susan Ballinger for donating the containers that were used for the arrangements.
Active members include Army; Space Force; Haddi Treon represented by Dean and Margie Treon. Veterans of each branch and their spouses were also recognized.
The Army included: John Schmitmeyer, Ray Grisez, Dan Simon, Tim Wagner, Leroy Cordonnier, Thomas Hemmelgarn, Larry Roll, Jim Nerderman, Gary Poling, represented by Carolyn Poling, Virgil Frantz, Ted Schmitmeyer, Frank Gantt, Ron Hiestand, Wilber Petitjean, represented by Caroline Petitjean, Fred Bohman, represented by Marlene Bohman, Jim Pohlman, Larry Pleiman, Gary Davidson, Bernard Shappie, represented by Elsie Shappie, Josh Didier, Jim Bergman, Bob Grieshop, Roger Bey, Bill Marshal, Paul Huber, Dick Didier, Lewis Kremer, represented by Beth Simons, Dick Berger, John Berger, Mike McClurg, Richard Kiser, Gene Epperly, Jim Bergman, Dick Gigendet, Louie Keiser, represented by Doris Keiser, Francis Phlipot, Urban Gehret, represented by Irene Gehret, David Harris, Dan Hoening, Eugene Mescher, represented by Eileen Mescher, Nolan Mangen, Mark Kunk, Larry Wuebker, Richard Glick, John Kreig, represented by Phyllis Kreig, Edmund Schlater, represented by Velma Schlater, Roger Magoto, represented by Cheryl Magoto.
The Air Force included: Tim Huber, Dick Francis, Ray Boas, Jim York, Ed DeMange, Darryl Whalen, Levi Barga, Donna Grilliot, Marlin Falknor, Mike Brown, George Stuck, Dave Keihl, Hallie Mills, David Dean, Fred Dean, Dan Hoening.
Marines include: Dean Winner, Harold Apple represented by Carol Apple, Victor Niekamp, Represented by Bernie Niekamp, Gary Kunk.
National Guard includes: Duane Ward, Harold Rehmert represented by Janet Rehmert, Paul Meyer, Lanny Brenner, Bill Ahrens, Larry Hesson, Ron Mescher.
Navy includes: Dave Holfinger, Bob Magoteaux, John Shue, Ben Bernholt, Scott Riffell, Lester Kueterman, Dave Bey, Jim Lawrence, Nick Knapke, John Echeman, Thomas Parin, Larry Henderson, Larry Lavy, Dan Pond, Jerry Bey, Larry Laub.
Members who assisted in making this event possible include: Luke Kaiser, Colin Batten, Andrew Lyons, Greta Broeing, Rhylan Broeman, Ruthie Smith, Eden Barga, Monica Evers, Paige Gehret, Brooklyn Livingston, Maggie McGlinch, Lucy Schmitmeyer, Danica York, Frankie Broerman, Margret Schmimeyer, Gavin Hecht, Annlee Mertz, Kayle Petitjean, Madilyn Wagner, Simone Grieshop, Lauren Grogean, Keira Rahm, Gracie Henry, Paige Gehret, Cale DeMange, Grady Dirksen, Simon Broering, Zach Rahm, Emmit DeMange, Adam Rauh, Elias Moiser, Jayna Luthman, Aleta Longfellow, Monica Schmitmeyer, Hank Smith, Isabel Grisez, Owen DeMange, Sam Albers, Vera Schmitmeyer, and Cecilia Schmimeyer.
A special thank you to Jill Gehret, Darlene Lyons, Olivia Pohlman, Sharon McGlinch, Krista Harmen and Dylan Meyer for helping out with the Veterans Program.