RON HORAN, JR, OF RURAL MAQUOKETA, WAS THE KEY MAN BEHIND THE
MOVING WALL APPEARANCE HERE IN MAQUOKETA THE LAST 5 DAYS.
IT WAS HIS IDEA AND HE QUICKLY GOT SUPPORT FROM LOTS OF OTHER
PEOPLE. HE FORMED A COMMITTEE AND WEEK AFTER WEEK, MORE PEOPLE
CAME TO THE ANNOUNCED MEETING PLACES. THEY RAISED THE $10,000
NECESSARY FOR THE WALL TO COME TO JACKSON COUNTY AND THEY
WORKED OUT ALL THE DETAILS FOR THE VISIT, LEADING UP TO THE
OPENING DAY JUNE 23RD. I TALKED TO HIM THIS AFTERNOON AND HE
IS A VERY HAPPY PERSON THAT IT HAS BEEN A MUCH-APPRECIATED EVENT.
THOUSANDS CAME TO VIEW THE WALL, DAY AND NIGHT. VOLUNTEERS WORKED 24 HOURS A DAY KEEPING IT OPEN, LIGHTED AND GUARDING
IT. IT MOVES WEST TO ANOTHER STATE NOW. THE CLOSING CEREMONY
AT 3 THIS AFTERNOON LASTED FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES. THERE WAS NO GUEST SPEAKER. MAQUOKETA BUSINESSMAN AND MEMBER OF THE JACKSON
COUNTY SUPERVISORS, JACK WILLEY, SANG THREE SONGS. THE LOCAL AND
AREA SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS POSTED THE UNIT COLORS, THE BELLEVUE
AMERICAN LEGION POST 273 DID THE 21 GUN SALUTE, PASTOR NATHAN COMBS GAVE THE INVOCATION AND THE BENEDICTION AS HE DID THURSDAY AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, TOM WATTERS, MAQUOKETA VFW COMMANDER
READ THE NAMES OF MAQUOKETA AREA SOLDIERS LISTED ON THE WALL,
GIRL SCOUTS KATIE AND JENNA (SISTERS) BREITBACH OF MAQUOKETA,
SAID THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND TAPS WAS PLAYED BY KENT CRAWFORD
AND ECHO TAPS BY COLTON FELLER. FINIALLY, THE COLORS WERE RETIRED....
THE U.S....IOWA AND MIA-POW FLAGS. IT WAS A NICE CEREMONY UNDER SUNNY AND BREEZY SKIES. THE TURN-OUT WAS LESS THAN LAST THURSDAY, BUT STILL GOOD. IT WAS MY PLEASURE AGAIN TO SERVE AS MC.
WE BROADCAST THE CEREMONY ON KMAQ AND ALSO RECORDED IT.
LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW, YOU CAN LISTEN TO IT AT www.maquoketavfw.webs.com
WE WILL NEVER FORGET THE MOVING WALL VISIT TO MAQUOKETA!
WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET IT!