SN 8.28.2021 DONE

The Sun and News, Saturday, August 28, 2021/ Page 7

TKHS Seniors gather at sunrise for their ‘Last First Day’

Thornapple Kellogg High
School seniors didn’t just
show up for their last first
day of high school – they
showed up nearly an hour
early.
Several members of the
Class of 2022 gathered about
6:30 a.m. Tuesday in Bob
White Stadium to watch the
sun rise on what they all
hope will be a great last year
for them at Thornapple
Kellogg.

“We just thought it would

be a good way to get the

senior class connected and

get back together with friends

after summer. It’s just kind of

a great way to start the year,”

said Mitchell Corner, one of

the student council members

who helped organize the

event.

Student council adviser

Liz Ritsema said she was

pleased with the number of

seniors who came early to

join in the event.

“We didn’t know how

many would show up, but I

think it was a pretty good

turnout,” Ritsema said.

Students spread blankets

and towels on the turf to sit,

talk and watch the sun come

up. They were gathered in

small groups that dotted the

football field.

Their parents served

donuts, muffins, hot cocoa

and other treats to the early

risers. A red carpet led

seniors to special photo

backdrops to commemorate

the start of their special year.

Corner said student coun-

cil members had been look-

ing for ideas to get students

together when they came up

with this one. And, at the end

of this school year, they plan

to gather again in Bob White

Stadium for a final sunset to

mark the end of their high

school years.

Yankee Springs veterans memorial dedication Sept. 6

Greg Chandler
Staff Writer
Eight years after the idea
was first proposed, a memo-
rial honoring Yankee Springs
Township veterans is now
complete.
A dedication ceremony
will take place at 10 a.m. on
Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 6.
The memorial is located next
to the Yankee Springs fire
station at 1425 S. Payne Lake
Rd., at the corner of M-
and South Payne Lake.
“It is important to remem-
ber and honor our veterans,”
said Township Trustee Dave
VanHouten, who chaired the
Veterans Memorial
Committee when it recon-
vened earlier this year. “At
this time when we have chal-
lenging policy issues with
regard to our military
involvement in other coun-
tries, let us make a clear and
complete distinction between
policy issues, and not con-
fuse those with the heroism
of our military patriots.
“They served our country
and on our behalf regardless
of political issues and are to
be honored and recognized
for their service and heroism.
Their commitment for put-
ting themselves in harm’s
way and absolute commit-
ment to their fellow service
members is beyond reproach.
I invite everyone to join us
on Labor Day as we dedicate
this symbol of respect for our
veterans,” VanHouten added.
The veterans memorial
was the vision of former
Barry County Undersheriff

and township constable Jim

Orr. The first Veterans

Memorial Committee formed

in 2013 with then-Township

Supervisor Mark Englerth,

Mike Boysen, Shane

Vandenberg and Ron

Heilman on the committee.

Five years later, ground was

broken on the memorial.

In its early years, the

memorial project was largely

done through volunteer labor

and financial contributions

from the community. In May

of this year, the project got a

kick start when the township

board approved an $18,

budget for the project,

including funding from the

township general fund bud-

get and the Gun Lake Tribe.

“A priority for the incom-

ing township board has been

to complete a number of

projects that had been start-

ed, but sort of stalled out,”

Township Supervisor Rob

Heethuis said. “I asked

Trustee Dave VanHouten to

convene a new Veterans

Memorial Committee to pick

up on the initial effort and

see the project through to

completion in a final form

that would honor our veter-

ans.”

The Gun Lake Tribe has

supported local governments

with revenues from the Gun

Lake Casino regularly, and

supported using some of the

shared revenue with Yankee

Springs Township for the

memorial.

“The Gun Lake Tribe is

proud to partner with Yankee

Springs Township to com-

plete this project and honor

our veterans,” tribal spokes-

man David “DK” Sprague

said.

The memorial includes

logos for each branch of the

United States military, as

well as a logo recognizing

those who are prisoners of

wars or missing in action. A

25-foot flagpole has been

installed, on which the

American and POW-MIA

flags fly. Both the memorial

and flagpole are lighted.

Speakers at the dedication

will include Greg Purcell, a

township resident and

Vietnam veteran; County

Commissioner Catherine

Getty, whose district includes

Yankee Springs Township;

Sprague, representing the

Gun Lake Tribe, and

VanHouten. Heethuis will be

the master of ceremonies.

John R. Smith will present

the invocation and closing

prayer.

A reception with light

refreshments is planned after

the dedication ceremony.

The new Yankee Springs Township veterans memorial

is set to be dedicated on Sept. 6, Labor Day.

The Yankee Springs Township veterans memorial

features logos from each of the U.S. military branches

as well as for POW-MIAs.

Thornapple Kellogg Schools Superintendent Dan Remenap, High School Principal
Tony Petersen and Assistant Principal Tony Bush, along with high school teachers,
greet high school students as they return to school Tuesday. (Photos courtesy
Thornapple Kellogg schools)

Senior high school students gather around the Trojan emblem on the football field

before their first day of the 2021-22 school year.

Members of the Thornapple Kellogg High School senior class gathered on the foot-

ball field at about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday to reconnect and watch the sun come up on their

last first day of high school.