Mankato Area Veterans Memorial Board hosts Veterans Day celebration

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Community members gathered at Lincoln Park and Rasmussen Park to give thanks to our veterans in Mankato that served in the Vietnam war and Civil War.

“It’s always nice to to be at these events and meet with other veterans from, you know, people that served in [different] eras and different generations,” reflected Marine veteran James Olsen. “And that we’re all kind of tied together by our our service to the country.”

According to the Blue Earth County Veteran Service Director, they provide services to help veterans, like getting access to education and benefits. Their goal is to help veterans readjust and transition into whatever phase of life they are in.

“I think it’s important to take a moment to pause across the country and appreciate those that that served and answered the call to, you know, keep the country that we have and to to keep at a place that we want,” explained Michael McLaughlin, Director of Blue Earth County Veteran Services.

On Veterans Day, we represent everyone that fought with honor in each war, we educate others who were not in the war about the importance of it, and we remember those who lost their life.

“Now, around the world, even today, we have to come back and remember all the fights that we’ve had and all the different wars,” said Vietnam veteran Stuart Carleton. “All the way through, in the conflicts -- we need to have a chance to have the honor and integrity to have a chair at the table of society.”

The Veterans Day event next year will be held at Wheeler Park.

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