St. James Area Veterans Memorial Officially Dedicated Saturday

While the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, also known as the Traveling Wall, was the main draw of the Southern Minnesota Veterans Appreciation Event at the Watonwan County Fairgrounds in St. James this past weekend, across town Saturday morning, a swollen crowd gathered to see the St. James Area Veterans Memorial officially dedicated in Memorial Park.

“This started three years ago as a vision,” said Gary Sturm, mayor of St. James. It took “months, weeks, and years of dedication and intestinal fortitude.”

On a windy morning, the featured speaker was Retired Major General Larry Shellito, who was appointed as the 17th commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs in January 2011.

“I commend all of you for this day [...] This is special,” he said. “This is sacred ground.”

For the rest of this story, please see the August 27 print edition of the St. James Plaindealer--on sale now.