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Military veterans got a special treat with a bag of goodies and a chance to listen to the high school students put on a patriotic concert. 

Nichole Cockrell's Family and Consumer Sciences class made goodie bags for the veterans in attendance of the Veterans Day celebrations at the school last Wednesday. The celebration was held a day before the actual holiday in the school gymnasium, where 14 veterans gathered for the special assembly. 

"Veterans Day is our holiday that we celebrate and honor American heroes who have served this great country both past and present in peacetime and wartime, both living and deceased," said Plains School Superintendent Thom Chisholm, who then thanked the veterans for their service. Veterans from five military branches - except the newly formed Space Force - were represented at the event, where nearly 200 students and staff members gathered. 

"They did a bang up job," said Al Aschenbrenner, who served in the Air Force and in the Navy, retiring in 1988. He liked that the band played each of the military service songs. "It gave each person a sense of individuality that showed we were in a different branch of the service," said the Plains resident. Aschenbrenner said he felt honored and appreciated the school's reception. The 83-year-old Aschenbrenner was the oldest veteran on hand. The other veterans at the assembly included: Bill Beck, Navy; Ron Kilbury, Army and Navy; Heather Allen, Air Force; Butch Murdock, Navy; Ray Middleton, Army; Ken Matthiesen, Army and Navy; Marv Tanner, Army, Greg Davis, Army; David Brandon, Air Force; Chris Nichols, Montana Air National Guard; Joel Thomas (Marine Corps and at 37 the youngest vet at the event), Ed Moreth, Coast Guard; and Jesse Jermyn, Air Force and a staff member at the school. Each veteran stood as the band played their service song. Chisholm called out the service song as they were played by the band, starting with the "Marines' Hymn." The Marine Corps celebrated its 246th anniversary that day.  

Nichols, who was in uniform, was the only veteran at the event still on active duty. Nichols, a chief master sergeant and the Thompson Falls chief of police, has served for 32 years in the Montana Air National Guard and is presently stationed with the 120th Security Force at Great Falls. 

He is also married to Brittany Nichols, the school music teacher, who led the 20-person band and the eight-person choir. The band played nine pieces and the choir sang seven pieces, directed by Nichols, who said they started rehearsing in October. At the piano was volunteer Sydne Connally of Plains.

"We hold this event to honor those who have sacrificed for us," said Cockrell, whose 7th-12th grade students made 50 goodie bags for the occasion. The extra bags went to the VFW in Plains for vets there. This was Cockrell's fourth year to host the veterans, an event started several years ago by teachers Keith Baker and Linda Knight, now retired. The event was not held last year because of Covid. The school normally cooks a special luncheon in the Family and Consumer Sciences classroom, but because of the Covid situation and the school temporarily closing down for a short time this year, they put together the bags of sweets, which included lemon poppy seed bread, fudge, cookies, brownies and frosted pretzels, a task that took the students three days to make, said Cockrell, who has cousins in the military. Cockrell said she hopes it teaches students "how lucky they are to live in a country with so many freedoms."

The observance was kicked off by Plains High School Principal Ryon Noland, who recited the poem "In Flanders Field," which was written in 1915 by John McCrae, a Canadian lieutenant colonel in World War I, who referred to the red poppies that grew at the graves of soldiers who perished in the Second Battle of Ypres. "The red poppy became a symbol of remembrance and respect for those who perished in the war," said Noland. "By 1921, over 12 countries adopted the ornamental silk flower as a symbol of Armistice Day on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. On June 1, 1954, Veterans Day became the official name of the federal holiday," Noland said at the assembly.

"I enjoyed the program the school put on this year. It is always wonderful to see the talent of our local youths in the choir and band," said Allen, who spent nearly 10 years in the Air Force. "I hope they continue that each year."

Kilbury, the VFW Post 3596 post commander, and Allen, the VFW's quartermaster and adjutant, presented four Patriot's Pen awards to students during the ceremony. First place went to Cord D. Greer, who received a medal, certificate and $75. Wyatt R. Miller took second place and received a medal, certificate and $50. Third went to Kenna G. Miller, who received a medal, certificate and $25. Lindsey E. Harris took top honors in the Voice of Democracy competition and received a medal, certificate and $100. All entries will be forwarded to the District 1 competition level. First place at that level will compete at state, said Allen.

"We celebrate Veterans Day for a just few minutes, a very few seconds of silence on occasion, and then this country's life goes on, but I think it is most appropriate that we recall on this occasion and on every other moment when we are faced with great responsibilities the contributions and the sacrifices, which so many men and women and their families have made in order to permit this country to now occupy its present position of responsibility of freedom and in that manner and in that order they permit us to gather here today on occasions like this," said Chisholm, whose brother, William L. G. Chisholm, is a retired Coast Guard chief warrant officer, and whose father, Hot Springs resident Don "Sonny" Chisholm, is an Army veteran of the Korean War. "We salute the veterans of all the branches of the United States military," he said at the end of the 45-minute assembly. "I would like to remind everyone," he said, "that the purpose of our freedom and the armed services that serve as its mechanism is truly peace."