Anderson Funeral Home hosts special event at Veterans Memorial Park.
Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Ericson (left) and Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Walz from the United States Navy salute former Navy SEAL Joseph Hanson, who passed away last December. Hanson was honored during a special service at Veterans Memorial Park. (Celeste Edenloff / Echo Press)
A large crowd gathered at the new Veterans Memorial Park in Alexandria Wednesday evening, Sept. 23, at a special event to honor and remember all veterans in Douglas County.
The family of Joseph Hanson was presented with a American Flag by two members of the United States Navy. Hanson, who was born and raised in Alexandria and died last December, was a Navy SEAL, who served on active duty for five years and completed 20 years in the Naval Reserves.
Angie Riechmann sang the National Anthem and God Bless America, and Pastor Mike Bartolomeo from Church for the Harvest, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, provided a brief message and prayer. Steve Pederson played Taps and the Vietnam Veterans of America Post 235 Rifle Squad performed a rifle salute.
The event was hosted by Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory.
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Members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Post 235 Rifle Squad performed a rifle salute during Wednesday's special salute to veterans ceremony hosted by Anderson Funeral Home. The event took place at Veterans Memorial Park. (Celeste Edenloff / Echo Press)
Tom Anderson from Anderson Funeral Home gave the opening remarks at a special ceremony honoring veterans at the Veterans Memorial Park Wednesday evening, Sept. 23. (Celeste Edenloff / Echo Press)
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Pastor Mike Bartolomeo, the founding pastor of Church for the Harvest in Alexandria and an honorably discharged veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, spoke at the special ceremony saluting area veterans. The event, hosted by Anderson Funeral Home, took place Wednesday, Sept. 23. (Celeste Edenloff / Echo Press)
Celeste Edenloff is the special projects editor and a reporter for the Alexandria Echo Press. She has lived in the Alexandria Lakes Area since 1997. She first worked for the Echo Press as a reporter from 1999 to 2011, and returned in 2016 to once again report on the community she calls home.
