Skily Slam

The Skily Slam fishing tournament is June 2-3 at Plymouth County Park.

History Day

The National History

Day qualifiers will present

their projects June 5, 7 p.m., at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Akron. Everyone is invited to come.

City wide open house

An Akron City Wide open house is scheduled for June 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cancer Survivors

The third annual Plymouth

County National

Cancer Survivors' Day is

June 16 in Akron.

Open House

Silver Leaf Estates is

holding an Open House

Relay For Life

The 11th annual

American Cancer Society

Plymouth County Relay For Life is June 1 and 2 at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in Le Mars.

Family histories

The history book committee is still accepting family and business histories through June 16. Drop them off at City Hall or The Akron Hometowner.

Jammin on Reed

The Siouxland Country

Music Association will be performing on Reed St. June 8, 7-10 p.m. in front of Pizza Ranch. Pizza Ranch is also offering an evening buffet June 8.

If anyone has contact

information for students who graduated from AWHS in 2002, contact Joe Ruhland, ruhland@iastate.edu, Cristy Van Beek, cvanbeek@newscenter1.

com, or Desirae Willms,

dwillms@fnbakron.com

No, he won't be mourned by many, just his children and his wife. For he lived an ordinary, very quiet sort of life. He held a job and raised a family, quietly going on his way, And the world won't note his passing tho' a soldier died today.” That was the beginning of the Memorial Day address given by Akron veteran Arden Gale, who is a member of the Albert E. Hoschler American Legion Post No. 186 and has served as commander and post adjutant. Gale also served the Ninth District of Iowa American Legion as commander and Ninth District chaplain. He was elected as State of Iowa Department Vice Commander for 2002-2003 The United States has been involved in 50-some wars in its 230 years of history, Gale told the many gathered to honor area veterans and mourn the loss of 370 of its own who served in the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Grenada- Panama, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. Memorial Day 2007 is a “different world” than what I remember as a child, he told the crowd. “I don't think this is a very humble affair.” “As I remember as a kid, Memorial Day was an unbelievable day in Akron,” he said. “Even the morning train from Chicago would (stop) until the parade went across the railroad tracks and over to the Big Sioux River. The ladies would drop spirea, irises and lilacs into the river. And over behind March's barn, the veterans would fire a salute and behind it, at Ed Burnight's barn, Alvy Bellwood would sound 'Taps'. It always made an impression with me.” Memorial Day 2007 is a different world, said Gale, who served in the U.S. Army with the Eighth Army Far East Command in the Korean War Era. “Our nation has been at war for five years,” said Gale, adding our military personnel are presently stationed in 147 countries throughout the world. “Young men and young women in foreign lands.” Over 3,800 have been killed, he said, adding, there are 82,000 wounded, and nearly a million people have been

killed in Iraq and over 2 million Iraq citizens have fled their country. “The cost of the war nears $1 zillion,” he said. “As much as $150 million, as of May 1, will be required to help wounded returning from Iraqi and Afghanistan. Medical care has not kept up with veterans' needs -- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and illnesses due to Agent Orange, amputations, respiratory problems, said Gale. Army hospitals are closing down...Veterans' disability benefits have been cut and disabilities downgraded. “The American veteran is not invisible,” said Gale, adding the flags in the Avenue of Flags have all draped the coffins of deceased veterans from this area. “Respect for the flag; respect for the service people; this is not seen too much this day,” said Gale. “Our manners need improving. Respect our American flag. Take off your head covering. Keep the Pledge of the Allegiance as it is....One nation under God.” Our nation has been divided between the haves and the have not, he continued. War. Abortion. Same sex marriages. A loss of personal dignity through drugs and other deceptive illusions of happiness have not been much help to our Republic. “Respect for people, the flag, prayers, the 10 Commandments,” said Gale. “Now, today, young people, and not so young people, appear in sloppy tank tops. Revealing belly button earrings. A couple neat tattoos. Ten or 12 piercings in the ear, the nose, the tongue, the eyebrows. Hip-hugging britches that hardly stay on the hips. Foul language to express themselves and hair lice -- their hair is cut so thin and short.” “This can be improved,” said Gale. “The Christian roots of our society are being called upon. It is imperative for the family to survive. We must be the survivors. Respect for human beings has to return.” Gale concluded his speech with a riddle: An immigrant to the United States was so gracious for the way his family had been accepted that he composed a song, said Gale, explaining a testimonial banquet was being held

at the Mayfair in Washington for John J. Pershing, commander in World War I. That song was selected. In fact, this song was a competitor for the national anthem. “And what was the name of it?” he asked but received no answers. “Common on,” he yelled. “God Bless America.”