Waseca will once again honor and remember loved ones on Memorial Day this year, as the Waseca Memorial Day Committee is organizing a parade and program followed by a breakfast served at the VFW.
This year’s speaker at the program is a familiar face to Waseca, as Col. Abraham L. Jackson will be the speaker of the day. Jackson is a Waseca native and currently resides in Eustis, Virginia.
Jackson is a 1993 graduate of Waseca High School and his parents Ken and Jo Ann Jackson still reside in Waseca. Jackson is the Director of Intelligence, Headquarters Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley in Eustis.
“In this role, he advocates for intelligence policy and weapons system requirements to enable contact,” said the Commander of the Waseca VFW 1642 Blaine Brooks, who will be the emcee of the program.
Jackson commissioned through Officer Training School in 1998 and received a political science bachelor’s degree from Fort Lewis College. Since then, he has climbed the ranks in the United States Air Force, most recently being promoted to colonel in 2018.
There will be a short parade along State St. before the program begins with flag raising ceremonies from the American Legion Color Guard. The parade will consist of the color guard marching, local firemen, and others. The program itself will be on the south lawn of the Waseca County Courthouse.
The parade will take place only if it isn’t raining. If it does rain, the program will be held at the Waseca Senior High School. Breakfast will still be served at the VFW.
Along with Jackson’s speech, the program will consist of many musical performances, including multiple performances from Waseca Senior High School choir members.
“The musicians include the male and female sextets of the Waseca High School,” Grant Whissemore said. “They will sing the opening song with the band right before the Gettysburg Address.”
The Gettysburg Address will be read by Lucas Vasquez-Neigebauer. The ending salute by rifle squad taps will be performed by Waseca Senior High School Band Buglers Noah Dahle and Mason Jes.
Whissemore is the chair of Waseca Veteran’s Memorial Committee, and is once again organizing the event. He, alongside other members of the committee and the Waseca Boy Scouts troop, will go out on Tuesday and Wednesday putting out flags at the local cemeteries.
The committee will put about 180 20-foot tall flags at the Woodville and Calvary cemeteries on Tuesday and the committee along with the boy scouts will put out 900 little flags at Woodville Cemetery.
New Richland and Janesville
The New Richland American Legion will host a Memorial Day program in the NRHEG Secondary School gym. The event begins at 11 a.m. Monday. A $10 lunch will also be available after the ceremony.
Memorial Day program at the Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton auditorium on Monday, May 29 begins at 9 a.m. Guest speaker is Samuel Schruin, a St. Clair native and has been in the Army National Guard for seven years. He also teaches at JWP. Rifle salute to follow.
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