Local veterans and guests joined the Chesterton-Porter Rotary Club Tuesday at the Club’s third annual Veteran’s Day celebration held in the Westchester Public Library Service Center.

The event featured a patriotic music selection from the Chesterton High School Octet, lead by Choir Director Christopher Brush, as well as a reading of the essay Someone You Should Know by Chesterton Middle School 8th Grade Essay Winner Matt Rotundo.

The highlighted program speaker, Ted Uzelac, captured the audience by speaking about the kinds of service each of us can engage in, here in our community – beginning with pledging allegiance to our flag and country. Ted enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1991 and finished his original enlistment with an Honorable Discharge, and upon returning home began a career in law enforcement. In June 2004, he took a leave of absence from the police department and re-enlisted in the Army National Guard and volunteered for combat duty. From December 2004 to January 2006, Ted served as Sergeant and Combat Team Leader in Iraq with the 25th Infantry Division’s 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team. He returned home in 2006 to work as a Portage Police Officer, and in further service to the community ran and won election to the City Council. A third generation soldier, Ted has the distinction of being the third in his family to be awarded the Purple Heart for being wounded in the course of battle.

Also honored during the program were Chesterton-Porter Rotary Club military veterans: Mike Anton, Private E1, United States Army, 1966; Phil Baugher, Sergeant, United States Marine Corp., 1969-1973; Kurt Blumenthal, Airman 1st Class, United States Air Force Reserves, 1955-1961; Warren Canright, Staff Sergeant, United States Army (Bronze Star), 1944-1946; Ralph Caron, Private, United States Army, 1956-1964.

Also, Robert Dunbar, Airman 1st Class, United States Air Force, 1951-1954; Rick Hokanson, Specialist E5, United States Army, 1966-1968; John Marshall, Petty Officer 2nd Class, United States Navy, 1975-1980; David Perry, Petty Officer 3rd Class, United States Navy, 1964-1967; Bernie Doyle, Sergeant, United States Air Force, 1972-1975.

For more information on the Chesterton-Porter Rotary Club, please visit

www.dunelandrotary.com

Posted 11/11/2009