Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Honoring veterans in Faribault with a directive to listen November 11, 2026

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An unidentified veteran stationed in Iceland during the Korean War attended the Veterans Day program in Faribault on Wednesday morning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

I CAME BECAUSE I CARE. I came because of my father, a Korean War veteran. And I came because it was the right thing to do—to set aside time on Veterans Day to honor the men and women who have served this country.

This shows just a small portion of the crowd gathered in front of the Rice County courthouse for the Veterans Day program. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

A crowd of several hundred gathered on the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month outside the Rice County courthouse in Faribault to listen to several speakers and to witness all the traditions of this sacred day.

The Color Guard raises the flags at the veterans memorial outside the courthouse. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

Raising of the flags by the Color Guard. Speeches. Firing of guns by the Honor Guard. Playing of taps. Prayers.

The wing of the veterans memorial eagle sculpture rises above veterans, including speaker and event organizer Kirk Mansfield, also active with the suicide prevent nonprofit Operation: 23 to Zero. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

While I wove around the edge of the crowd with my camera, I simultaneously listened. And the key message I took away is this: Listen. Listen to our veterans. Listen to their stories.

The day’s honored veteran, Glen Wegner, who served 40 years with the Army Reserve. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

Don’t just thank them. But listen. Support. Honor them.

A four-page letter about four members of the same Indiana Army National Guard platoon who committed suicide was available on a table for people to read. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

And when the topic turned to suicide and to the suicide prevention effort, Operation: 23 to Zero, that word popped up again. Listen.

PVT Christopher Cagle of Faribault, a US Marine, died via suicide in 1999. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
Twenty-three pairs of boots representing 23 lives lost to suicide. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)
Sgt. David Staab of the U.S. Army and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, took his life in 2008. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

In the center circle of the Rice County Veterans Memorial, boots sat, each representing a military veteran who took his/her life via suicide. Christopher from Faribault. David from Dawson. And so many others, gone too young. A red rose for each. A photo and a short bio offering a glimpse of their lives.

People can purchase pavers honoring those who served in the military. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

And then all around the county memorial, lining the sidewalks, paver upon paver upon paver placed in honor of a service member. So many names. So many loved ones. So many who carried the stories of military service.

Rifle salute from the Honor Guard. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

Listen. I heard the steady drone of traffic pass by the courthouse, people going about their day as usual while veterans spoke. While we prayed and honored and thanked in our own quiet ways. While taps played and rifles boomed.

Veteran Mark Quinlan stands silent in the foreground during the Veterans Day ceremony. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

I expect in the silent moments in between, minds wandered to battlefields, to untold stories, to buddies and loved ones long gone. I found myself thinking of my dad serving on the frontlines during the Korean War. I expect others were doing the same, remembering, wishing perhaps that they had asked more questions. Listened.

Faribault Lutheran School students were among those in attendance. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

Next to the courthouse, a group of students from Faribault Lutheran School gathered on the lawn, visually reinforcing one speaker’s directive that we need to tell the next generation of the sacrifices made.

Steve Bonde played several selections on his trumpet. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

On this day of honor it was good to pause. To step away from everyday life. To listen to the kids singing “God Bless America” as Steve Bonde sounded the song on his trumpet.

An honoring rose placed on a paver for a veteran. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

It was good to reflect. And when almost everyone dispersed, a few of us remained. Organizers cleaning up. Clusters of people chatting.

A scene of the courthouse gathering spot after nearly everyone had left. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2026)

I followed the sidewalk to pavers marked by five small American flags. I knelt on the cement for a photo, noticing autumn leaves scattered upon the names and dates, the notations about military service. To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven…a time of war, and a time for peace.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Veterans Day thanks & reflections from southern Minnesota November 9, 2026

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The Rice County, Minnesota, Veterans’ Memorial in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

THIS STORY IS DEDICATED to my dad and to all veterans who have served this country whether by choice or by draft.

Thank you for serving. Those words seem insufficient on November 11, a day which honors our nation’s veterans. But they are what I have—words.

My father, Elvern Kletscher, left, with two of his soldier-buddies in Korea. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo from Elvern Kletscher’s collection)

War is hell. My dad as much as stated that in letters sent from the mountains of Korea where he fought as a frontline infantryman during the Korean War. He called that country a “hell hole,” bringing home a patch with this message: “Returned from Hell, Korea 1952-1953.” I’ve never doubted Dad’s assessment of his war-time military service.

My dad brought this 7-inch by 9-inch cloth “RETURNED FROM HELL” patch home with him after serving for nearly a year in Korea. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

To see your best buddy blown up before you, to suffer shrapnel wounds at the hands of an enemy sniper, to endure cold and hunger, and to see Korean orphans begging for food scraps across barbed wire fencing forever changed my father.

How could he not be changed? Nothing could have prepared this young Minnesota farmer for war, for shoot or be shot. This was not war from afar. This was a seeing the whites of the enemies’ eyes up close and personal war.

Symbols of peace and freedom center the Rice County Veterans’ Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

There is no glory in war. No joy in the taking of lives. No victory other than that of one nation (or several nations) claiming victory in defense of freedom or land or for some other reason.

My dad suffered because of his war experiences. Just like many before him, after him and yet to come. Anxiety. Depression. Alcoholism. Post traumatic stress disorder. All came to be for him during a time when soldiers were not warmly welcomed home, but rather dismissal as having served in “The Forgotten War.”

Honoring fallen soldiers with a special monument at the Rice County Veterans’ Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

He never forgot, though.

This Veterans Day as I remember Dad, gone 23 years already, I think of all the men and women who have served whether in war or not, but mostly in war. I think, too, of their loved ones back home who supported, and continue to support, them. I think of those wounded, those who died in battle, those held as war prisoners, those still missing in action. I think of those who returned home safely, only to take their own lives via suicide.

I took this photo of a photo included in the Vietnam Memorial Wall traveling exhibit when it came to Faribault several years ago. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

War is hell.

If only we could settle our differences with diplomacy, by discussion, by compromise (if possible), by understanding that killing seems to solve nothing long-term.

I often think that modern-day warfare—with targets on a screen, the click of a mouse, the push of a button—has distanced us from the truth of outcome. Maybe I’m wrong in that assessment, never having served in the military.

This photo, among my dad’s military photos, is simply labeled “front line.” That would be “front line” as in Korea, where my soldier father fought. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo from the collection of Elvern Kletscher)

But I do understand, as the daughter of a Korean War veteran, the ravages of war upon the human psyche. The damage wrought may be acknowledged and treated. Or not. But trauma cannot be unseen, actions undone, death reversed.

To every single veteran who has struggled upon returning home from war, I am sorry. You deserve our respect, our help, our compassion and understanding well beyond just words of gratitude.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Memorial Day: Honoring those who “gave all” May 21, 2026

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An honorary wall at Kenyon Veterans Memorial Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo April 2026)

AS THE DAUGHTER of a U.S. Army infantryman who fought on the front lines during the Korean War, I find myself drawn to veterans’ memorials. They seem a sacred space, a place where bravery, service, strength, sacrifice and grief mingle.

“Vietnam Soldier No Man Left Behind” statue, crafted by SVJ Creative Designs of Kellogg from concrete with a brassy bronze painted finish, at the Owatonna Veterans Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

Every memorial I’ve visited in southern Minnesota differs from the next. Yet the essence remains the same as a site to honor those who have served, some ultimately dying in service to country.

A story about Cpl. Ray W. Scheibe, published in the July 23, 1953, issue of The Wolbach (Nebraska) Messenger.

Memorial Day marks a national holiday to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice by losing their lives. Whether necessary or unnecessary, war is hard and awful. It claims lives, forever changes people, rewrites history, traumatizes. My dad would tell you that. I saw firsthand the trauma Dad experienced from serving in Korea. He killed the enemy, so close he could see the whites of their eyes. He saw his friend blown apart on the battlefield the day before Ray was to return home to his wife and infant daughter in Nebraska.

My dad carried home this July 31, 1953, memorial service bulletin from Sucham-dong, Korea. In the right column is listed the name of his fallen buddy, Raymond W. Scheibe.

For every story like this, thousands more exist.

This shows a portion of the Owatonna Veterans Memorial with slabs honoring each branch of the military and stone walls listing names of service members. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

And so every veterans’ memorial is a tribute to the men and women who are more than names and dates on plaques, but individuals with loving families, friends and communities. Individuals with stories from their time in service.

The iconic image of the flag raising at Iwo Jima is featured on a stone slab at the Owatonna Veterans Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

If I let my mind wander while viewing a veterans’ memorial, I can imagine the stories. Inspirational quotes, photos and life-size statues of military members make it easier for me to see beyond the names and dates to real people.

The female soldier at the Owatonna Veterans Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

At every southern Minnesota veterans’ memorial I’ve visited, and I’ve been to a lot, statues have only portrayed male soldiers. Until recently. The Owatonna Veterans Memorial includes a female soldier. She stands next to a kneeling soldier with a battlefield cross. And on the far side of the memorial site stands a statue of a Vietnam War soldier carrying his fallen comrade draped across his shoulders.

This flag flies at Kenyon Veterans Memorial Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo April 2026)

“All gave some, some gave all.” Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor of White Bear Lake gave her all on March 1, 2026. She was among four American soldiers who died after a drone strike on a command center in Kuwait during the Iran War. The wife and mother of two was just days from returning home to Minnesota. Just like my dad’s 22-year-old friend Ray, who was killed in Korea 73 years ago on the day before he was to head home to Nebraska.

A wall of service members’ names and dates of service at the Owatonna Veterans Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

This Memorial Day, as this country is once again engaged in war, I wonder how many more men and women will die. How many more names will be added to memorials around the country with plaques noting KIA (killed in action)?

A veteran scoots past statues at the Owatonna Veterans Memorial. Gary served in the military following the Korean War. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

Monday may mean simply a day off to some or the kick-off to summer for others. But Memorial Day is really about honoring the brave men and women who have died in service to country. It’s important to remember that, to attend a Memorial Day parade or program, to walk among gravestones, to visit a veterans’ memorial. To focus on gratitude. To grieve. To remember and honor those who “gave all.”

The female soldier looks toward the Owatonna Veterans Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

FYI: The Owatonna Veterans Memorial is located on the northwest corner of 18th Street and Austin Road by the Steele County History Center. The Moonlighters Exchange Club spearheaded the project and fundraising for the memorial dedicated in November 2023.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Veterans Day 2025: Reflecting on Dad’s letter home from the frontline in Korea November 11, 2025

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On the back of this photo, my dad simply penned “a letter from home.” I appreciate this photo taken by an unknown buddy while they were in the service. (From the Elvern Kletscher photo collection)

A SHORT BIT AGO, I reread a letter my dad wrote home to his parents in southwestern Minnesota on his 22nd birthday in March 1953. Dad penned the letter thousands of miles away in Korea, where he was fighting on the frontline during the Korean War.

Among my dad’s “Korea stuff” are a book of military instructions he carried into the battlefield, a newspaper clipping about him, and his dog tags atop his letter home, the chain circling the words “hell hole.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo November 2023)

One long paragraph of that missive stands out for me on this Veterans Day. That is Dad’s anger at the draft board and at those who thought it necessary to send young men like him into what he termed a “hell hole” and a war against Communism that he didn’t think could be won.

This photo from my dad’s collection is tagged as “Kim, Rowe, Allen & me, May 1953 Machine Gun Crew.” That’s my father on the right. (From the Elvern Kletscher photo collection)

I expect many others thought like Dad. How could you not after shooting, killing, watching your buddies die in battle? After living with hunger and bone-chilling cold in a mountainous land far from home.

At the time of his letter, Dad was especially concerned that his younger brother, Harold, would be drafted. He vowed revenge if that happened. I suppose when you’re an older brother and you’ve seen war like he has, you don’t want someone you love to experience the same. Dad’s words were just that. Words. Words written by a combat soldier weary of war. A soldier frustrated. A soldier counting the months until he could leave Korea and then be discharged from the Army.

Dad vented to his parents. He called for those in positions of power to come to the Korean battlefields, to see for themselves the realities of war. I imagine many a soldier wished the same, that officials, leaders and decision-makers understood the results of their policies, actions, decisions, orders.

My dad came home from Korea with the wounds of war. Mental, emotional and physical. He was wounded by shrapnel at Heartbreak Ridge. He experienced depression and post traumatic stress disorder.

Yet, he returned to America still patriotic, a proud American whose sacrifices and service were not then recognized. He served in what would become known as “The Forgotten War.” How demeaning, to be ignored, unsupported, just like Vietnam War veterans. Only decades later did Dad receive the Purple Heart he earned on the battlefield.

The Rice County Veterans’ Memorial in Faribault. This photo and five other vet-themed photos I took hang in public spaces at the new State Veterans Home in Bemidji. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Dad went on to become an active American Legion member, serving as commander of the local post. He taught me and my siblings to respect veterans and those who died in battle. We attended every Memorial Day program in my hometown of Vesta. Afterwards we gathered at the cemetery for the playing of taps, prayer and a gun salute. We wandered among the tombstones.

I joined the Junior American Legion Auxiliary, which mostly involved selling poppies on Poppy Day. I also read “In Flanders Fields” at the community Memorial Day program and placed paper poppies on a wreath. My mom was an active American Legion Auxiliary member.

Dad integrated back into life in rural Minnesota upon his return from Korea as if nothing had changed for him. But it had. And it did. Going through his box of “Korea stuff” 72 years after he wrote that birthday letter home to his parents, I glimpse the “hell hole” of war he experienced. My anger rises, too, for all he endured and suffered on the battlefield and upon his return home to rural Minnesota.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Critical overwatch focuses on helping veterans, raising awareness about suicide November 9, 2025

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My father, Elvern Kletscher, on the left with two of his soldier buddies in Korea. (Photo from Elvern Kletscher’s collection)

WHEN I CONSIDER THE TRAUMA of war, I think of my dad. A combat veteran of the Korean War, he struggled with undiagnosed depression and post traumatic stress disorder. Not until the later years of his life did he find support among other veterans. They met to share their stories, trauma and struggles. Therein he found empathy and compassion. As a child and young adult, I admittedly and sadly failed to understand the emotional pain my dad experienced. If only I had, I would have listened, given him the compassion he deserved.

Memorable photos from the Vietnam Memorial traveling wall while in Faribault. The words on the soldier’s helmet reminded me of my dad. He brought home a souvenir patch from Korea which read “RETURNED FROM HELL 1952 KOREA 1953” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

Today I get it. I recognize that Dad’s time on the front lines in the mountains of Korea, where he killed the enemy and was wounded by shrapnel that would later earn him the Purple Heart, were life-changing. He returned to the farm fields of Minnesota a completely different young man than the one who sailed across the ocean to war.

A scene from the 2023 Critical Overwatch at the Rice County Veterans Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo November 2023)

Thankfully, the passing of time has brought positive change and much-needed help for our veterans, plus increased awareness. In my community, that awareness includes an “Operation: 23 to Zero Critical Overwatch” vigil at the Rice County Veterans Memorial beginning at noon on Monday, November 10, and continuing for 23 hours until Tuesday, November 11. The vigil concludes with an 11 a.m. Veterans Day program followed by a noon luncheon for veterans at American Legion Post 43 in Faribault.

Boots for Damian Wilson at the 2024 Critical Overwatch vigil. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo November 2024)

I’ve attended this vigil, now in its ninth year, multiple times. Verbs like honor, cherish, reflect, help, support and encourage come to mind when I consider this event aiming to curb veteran and military suicides. That’s the core premise of this visually-impactful overwatch. Every hour at the bottom of the hour, a pair of boots is placed on the veterans memorial plaza. Those boots represent a veteran lost to suicide. Attached to the boots are names, photos and dates of the deceased. Personal. Powerful. Emotional. Each set of boots represents a soldier from the area or connected to someone from the area.

The number 23 is also intentional, reflecting the number of veterans who daily commit suicide. One active military member also does the same each day.

This sign was posted at the vigil in 2024. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

It’s sobering to see all those boots ringing the veterans plaza. But it’s also heartening to see the support at this vigil—to know that veterans are standing by, literally, to listen, encourage and provide resources and help to anyone who needs it. I’ve seen and felt the compassion. Overheard the conversations.

We need to keep talking. I’m grateful to the Operation: 23 to Zero Southern Minnesota Chapter for their ongoing efforts to raise awareness about suicide and to work toward suicide prevention. They listen. They care. They stand at the ready to serve those who’ve served.

FYI: If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, immediate help is available via the Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988. Text or call that number. Or call 911. Please also seek additional professional help.

NOTE: Faribault Harley Davidson, 2704 West Airport Drive, is hosting a post Veterans Day Chili Cook Off on Saturday, November 15, with all proceeds benefiting Operation: 23 to Zero. Chili tasting costs $10 and runs from 11 am-2 pm. Prizes awarded. For more information, click here.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Honoring & remembering our military men, & women, on Memorial Day in Faribault May 29, 2025

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A member of the Faribault Color Guard holds the American Flag during the Memorial Day program. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

TWO THINGS IN THIS YEAR’S Faribault Memorial Day observances stood out for me from previous events. First, three military women—Kerrie Johnsrud, Peggy Johnson and Stephanie Johnsrud—were honored. Second, a soldier killed in action during the Vietnam War was remembered.

A large crowd (this shows only a portion) gathers in Central Park for the Memorial Day program. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

Both touched me in a memorable way. Too often, women have been overlooked. Not this year. Not in Faribault. Honored Combat Veteran Stephanie Johnsrud drove that point home by reminding the crowd gathered at Central Park that anyone can be a veteran, even a woman, and to break the stigma of women in the military. She served with the Army National Guard, including deployments to Kuwait and Iraq. Upon her return, the veteran wanted to have a welcome home party at a local military club, something met with a less-than-warm reception. It was heartbreaking to hear her words.

This banner of Thomas Eastman and other Faribault Hometown Heroes hangs in the front window of the former Eastman Music. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

Equally heartbreaking was the story of Army PFC Thomas Eastman, 21, of rural Faribault who was killed in Vietnam on May 5, 1966. He’d been deployed as an infantryman only months earlier. His name is listed on panel 7E, Line 30, of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, one of 1,086 Minnesotans listed on that monument.

Love seeing children in attendance, listening and learning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

Keynote speaker and emcee Gordy Kosfeld shared a bit about this young man, a 1963 Kenyon High School graduate. It was that information which personalized Eastman, took him from statistic to a beloved son, brother, uncle and friend. He wore thick glasses, loved fast cars, dogs and reading. And he planned to return to the farm upon his discharge.

“All gave some. Some gave all.” A meaningful message on a t-shirt. I saw another message, “You matter,” printed on a plain black tee. I told the young man wearing it how much I appreciated those two simple, yet powerful, words. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

Eastman, Kosfeld said, sounded like “an ordinary guy” who died in a far away land in service to country. He was and he did. I think sometimes, in the mass of numbers, we forget that our military men and women are, like Eastman, individuals with families and stories, likes and dislikes, and loved ones back home who miss them. And, if they are killed in action, with loved ones who deeply grieve their tragic deaths. That includes 58,000-plus during the Vietnam War.

The emcee pointed out this unexpected patriotic visual, worn by a young woman on stage. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

During the past year, many grieved the loss of 109 Rice County veterans. Our veterans are aging. Dying. Men like Carl W. Ames, Phillip J. Dorn and my friend, 100-year-old Elmer R. Schulz. And, among all those male veterans, four deceased female veterans, Donna L. Schultz, Beverly J. Miller, Donna M. Cleland and Debra G. Norman. All 109 names were listed on the Memorial Day service program, a visual reminder that imprints upon the spirit the importance of honoring veterans not only in death, but in life.

A veteran pays his respects by saluting. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

And that we did on Monday morning in Faribault’s Central Park. Young and old. We listened. We honored. We remembered.

Members of the Faribault American Legion Auxiliary placed wreaths, each representing a war or conflict, on or at the base of this cross during Faribault’s Memorial Day program. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

This concludes my three-part series on Memorial Day observances in Faribault and in Cannon City. Click here to read about Faribault’s parade and here to read about the program at the Cannon City Cemetery.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

American pride & patriotism shine at Faribault Memorial Day parade May 27, 2025

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Veteran Kirk Mansfield carries the American flag as part of the Color Guard during the parade. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

I GREW UP RECOGNIZING Memorial Day for what it is—a day to honor those who have died in service to our country. My parents instilled in me the importance of this day, a value I’ve carried throughout my life. Nearly every year I’ve attended an event recognizing our military men and women, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

A large crowd gathers for the Memorial Day parade along Central Avenue in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

On Monday morning I headed downtown Faribault to the Memorial Day parade followed by a program in Central Park. In the afternoon Randy and I drove a few miles out of town to the Cannon City Cemetery and a program there.

This year’s honored veterans were all women: Kerrie Johnsrud, Peggy Johnson (pictured here as honorary parade grand marshal) and Stephanie Johnsrud. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

At each of these events, I observed a deep sense of patriotic pride and love of country among attendees. That came in an abundance of American flags; patriotic music, poetry, readings and speeches; red-white-and-blue attire; salutes; and smiles.

Veterans throw candy to the kids. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

In a time when this country feels incredibly divided, it uplifted me to witness this appreciation for America, for the men and women who fought to preserve our freedom and for those who continue to do so. For this one day I felt a sense of unity, a coming together to honor and to uphold democracy.

Kids participated in, and attended, the parade. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

I especially delight in seeing so many children at these Memorial Day events. It’s important for them to recognize that this date should not be noted as the unofficial start of summer, but rather as a sacred day of remembrance.

A cluster of happy kids with flags and candy. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

Sure, at some of their young ages, these kids are coming for the candy and American flags handed out at the parade. They’re coming, too, to be with their families and friends. But their understanding of Memorial Day will grow—at least I hope it will—as they mature. Kids learn from their parents and grandparents. Our choices show them what’s important.

Scouts and others passed out American flags. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

I am thankful for my Korean War veteran father and American Legion Auxiliary mother who instilled in me and my five siblings the necessity of attending and participating in Memorial Day events. On that singular May day each year, we gathered with community to honor, to remember and to, yes, celebrate freedom. This is a tradition I hold dear, for I recognize the freedom preserved and protected by those who served, and still serve, our country.

Faribault is a diverse community with many of our newest residents arriving from war-torn countries to settle here, work and raise their families. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

I have the freedom to speak. To write. To make choices. To agree or disagree. Not everyone does, even in our own country. That’s another reason Memorial Day holds such value. It reminds us of our core values as a nation. How much we value democracy and freedom. We are a country of spacious skies and amber waves of grain…and of patriot dream that sees beyond the years.

Patriotic pride shines. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

We are a land, that even in the darkness of difficult days, still shines from sea to shining sea!

A contingent of horses and their riders always end the parade. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2025)

FYI: Please check back for two more Memorial Day posts, these about programs I attended.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

A documentary, 50 years after the Vietnam War, showing in Faribault April 28, 2025

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A Vietnam veteran views The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall when it came to the Rice County Fairgrounds in Faribault in 2016. All photos in this story were taken at that exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

MENTION THE VIETNAM WAR and the reaction will be mixed, depending. Some served. Some supported. Others protested. And some, like me, viewed the war as teens not quite old enough to vote, but old enough to care.

A map posted in the veterans’ lounge when the traveling wall was in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

Fifty years ago on April 30, 1975, Communist forces seized control of the South Vietnamese capital, ending the war in what became known as “The Fall of Saigon.” Two years prior, with the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, the U.S. ended its direct military involvement in the conflict.

A soldier’s photo displayed in the traveling exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

But those two events did not end the pain and suffering or the issues which still linger and swirl regarding the Vietnam War.

The purpose of the wall and the names thereon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

At 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, American Legion Post #43, Unit #43 Auxiliary and Operation: 23 to Zero are hosting a showing of the 47-minute documentary film, “Truths and Myths About the Vietnam War,” at the Legion in Faribault. The film was produced by the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association “to honor those who served in the Vietnam War, by providing factual information to address the decades of misinformation that has presented a skewed historical perspective of the war,” according to the AVVBA website. “We believe this a very important and long overdue film, one that captures the information and lessons learned most Vietnam War veterans want reported about the war.”

I lifted my camera and pointed the lens down at a panel filled with names of soldiers. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

Now I’m always interested in learning and considering different viewpoints. And it seems this 2024 documentary by Emmy Award-winning film producer David Naglieri will offer me some new insights and perspectives via a Medal of Honor recipient, those who served, and historians. The film promises to address many facets of the Vietnam War from media coverage to anti-war protests to politics to the treatment of returning soldiers and more.

An area set aside for protesters on the northwest side of the fairgrounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

I well remember how poorly returning American soldiers were treated by many who opposed the war. They were not respected for their service. Rather, they were met with protests and disdain. I’m all for free speech and expressing our opinions via protests. But it had to be hard, really hard, for those Vietnam veterans, most of whom were drafted. I remember my own dad, who served on the front lines during the Korean War (“The Forgotten War”), sharing how he never felt supported and appreciated upon his return home.

Multiple wreaths featured words of remembrance. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

Tuesday’s event at my local Legion, while focusing on the Vietnam War, will honor all veterans and offer them free wings during Wing Night. A social hour runs from 5:30-6:30 p.m. followed by the film screening from 6:30-8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The ultimate honorary salute to a fallen soldier. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

I encourage you to attend, whether you are a veteran or friend/family member; were a war protester; were, like me, a Vietnam War-era teen (who wore a POW bracelet); or simply want to learn more about a war which claimed 58,220 American and millions of other lives and left countless traumatized.

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FYI: You can watch “Truths and Myths About the Vietnam War” online by clicking here.

If you served in the Vietnam War, lost a loved one in the war, protested or otherwise, please feel free to share your experiences/thoughts in a respectful comment.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Town hall talk, a commentary March 20, 2025

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 2:28 PM
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An American flag flies in rural Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I DEBATED FOR SEVERAL DAYS whether I should write this post, because it could be misconstrued as purely political. It is not. Rather this is a story about a grassroots gathering of people sharing information, ideas and opinions. Democracy at its core. This story is about us as Americans—listening, learning, agreeing or disagreeing, and letting our voices be heard.

Tuesday evening I attended a town hall meeting in Faribault hosted by DFL Senate District 19. It was open to everyone, regardless of political affiliation. But the crowd was decidedly Democrat, as you would expect given the hosting group. Republican Brad Finstad, who represents the 1st Congressional District in Minnesota, was invited, but did not attend. His district includes parts of Goodhue, Rice (where I live), Steele and Waseca counties in rural southern Minnesota.

Some 300 constituents packed the space, overflowing into adjacent rooms. Yes. Even I was surprised by the turn out. That tells me a whole lot of people have concerns about what is currently happening at the federal level and how government action is, or will, impact them. I expect not a single American will be untouched, whether directly or indirectly, by slashes in government personnel and funding and/or by changes in domestic and foreign policies.

A sculpture at the Northfield Area Veterans Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Town hall organizers lined up speakers to address topics covering a broad range of subjects affecting a whole lot of people and programs—farmers, education, healthcare, seniors, veterans, those with disabilities, communication, nonprofits and much more. I was impressed by how well prepared these speakers were with facts and statistics. I learned a lot.

A vintage voting booth in the former Northfield, Minnesota, town hall. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I’m not going to give you a detailed report of what each speaker said. Rather, I want to share several messages or phrases which really resonated with me and which should resonate with every American, no matter who they voted for. The phrase “we the people” was repeated by one speaker and embraced by the crowd. “We the people” means us. Americans, not members of one political party or the other. And, yes, I’m well aware of how those words from the preamble to the Constitution are being used politically as a mantra of sorts. But in this context, “we the people” references our right to speak up, to be heard, to tell our elected officials what we think and what we would like them to do as our representatives in Washington DC. That can be done by attending town halls like this; the meeting was video taped and will be sent to Representative Finstad. We can be heard via phone calls, emails and letters. We the people have power in our voices, in our votes, whether Democrat, Republican or Independent.

Photographed on a back country road near Morgan in southwestern Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Secondly, a local educator asked the crowd and Finstad to ask themselves this question: “How are the children?” So, yes, how are the children, when many live in poverty, when federal funding for education is in imminent danger of being mostly cut, when…fill in the blank here? I think we can all agree that children are our future and we ought to care about their health, happiness, education and much more.

A pile of wheat. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Third, one of the speakers shared that, as someone of the Catholic faith, he is called upon to help others. He called upon Representative Finstad, who is also Catholic, to do the same. That means feeding the hungry (funding USAID, for example), protecting Medicaid and Social Security, etc. all of those ways and places we help one another as human beings in this country and abroad. Now I’m not Catholic; I’m Lutheran. Doesn’t matter. My faith compels me to show love, compassion and care for others, especially those in need. America once did that as a country. Generously. But that is changing. We have bounty and resources we can share to help starving children, to provide medical care, to help others in any way we can. It is the right thing to do as a nation blessed with great bounty.

Rural Rice County, Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Fourth, a local farmer spoke about $3.2 million in contracts with farmers in our district which have now been broken by the U.S. government. The consequences will be devastating to those farmers who have already invested those federal monies in their operations. Trust has been broken, she said. I think we can all agree that when a legal contract is broken, it’s a breach of trust.

A symbol of freedom, an eagle sculpture at Veterans Memorial Park in Morristown, Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

There’s so much more I could share from that town hall session. But I want to conclude with this. I encourage you, if you have the opportunity to do so, attend a town hall meeting. Listen. Learn. Engage. Let your voice be heard. Remind your elected officials, too, that they need to listen, learn and engage.

FYI: A second Town Hall Meeting hosted by DFL Senate District 19 is set for 6 p.m. Sunday, April 6, at Mineral Springs Brewery, 210 N. Oak Ave., Suite 1, in Owatonna. It will follow the same format as the Faribault Town Hall with a moderator, speakers and an open mic. Representative Brad Finstad has been invited.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Operation: 23 to 0 supports veterans, raises awareness about suicide November 11, 2024

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 1:09 PM
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Each pair of boots displayed at the vigil represents a veteran who lost his/her life to suicide. Here, PV1 Damian Wilson of Connecticut. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

CODY, DAMIAN, NICOLE…and 20 others. Twenty-three military veterans recognized, honored, remembered during a 23-hour vigil beginning at noon Sunday and ending at 11 a.m. Monday. Twenty-three, because 22 veterans and one active military duty member, on average, lose their lives via suicide in this country every single day. The average age is 59 ½. Twenty-three because the veterans’ support group Operation: 23 to 0, southern Minnesota chapter, organized this event at the Rice County courthouse in Faribault.

At the vigil late Sunday afternoon, supporters and those holding vigil gather. Boots edge the veterans’ memorial and the courthouse steps in the background. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

That organization aims to reduce the number of deaths by suicide via providing a network of support and by raising awareness. As the daughter of a Korean War veteran who suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, I fully understand the need, the cause. This resonates with me on a personal level.

The Operation: 23 to 0 flag flew beside the American flag. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
A bucket of roses, with roses placed in each deceased veteran’s boots, sits at the vigil. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
Donated food and beverages for those holding vigil. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

Because of that and because I care, I stopped by late Sunday afternoon to pay my respects and to show my support for Operation: 23 to 0 and for the veterans holding vigil. Those included Kirk Mansfield of Faribault, whom I’ve come to know through the years as an incredibly caring and compassionate individual dedicated to helping veterans. Mansfield is quick to point out that this is a team effort, that it takes a whole network of people, including the American Legion family, to make a difference.

The photos, the stories, the boots, the messages…personalize the loss. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
Images and words identify veterans who died via suicide, who are missed deeply, who were recognized. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
He was not only a soldier, but a violinist. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

He shared stories of a struggling young veteran in Iowa who needed a place to live, of a pregnant woman who lost her partner (a veteran) to suicide and who brought her now young daughter to the vigil in Faribault. He mentioned, too, a young veteran he was expecting later. Someone who is struggling.

Anyone who stopped by the vigil could see this message, that they are valued. They matter. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

As I stood next to Kirk, the cold November wind sweeping up the hill, chilling me, and darkness descending, I saw the light of hope. That comes across not only in this vigil, but also in a message posted between stones honoring branches of the military. The poster reads: “If you are looking for a sign to NOT kill yourself today—This is it. You are loved. You do belong. You are worthy.” What a powerful message of hope.

An eagle and eternal flame center the Rice County Veterans’ Memorial by the Rice County courthouse. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

On this Veterans Day, when we honor all who served our country in the military, those caring words matter. They matter because people (whether veterans or not) are struggling. Perhaps struggling with finances, relationships, mental health or any myriad of issues that create feelings of hopelessness.

Loving messages on a veterans’ boot. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
Flags, boots, roses, all honor the veterans who died via suicide. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
Love and grief on a pair of boots. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

Each pair of boots placed at the Rice County Veterans Memorial or at the foot of the courthouse steps represents someone who loved and was loved, but who now is among the twenty-three.

I really like this message spotted on a dog tag on a veteran’s boot. “His story isn’t over.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

Operation: 23 to 0 is dedicated to being there. To listening. To supporting. To networking. To doing. To raising awareness. I see that. And I am grateful.

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FYI: If you or someone you love is feeling hopeless, know that someone wants to help you. Talk to a friend, family member, professional. Call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Learn more about Operation: 23 to 0, which is based in Stillwater and has three chapters in Minnesota. You are loved.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling