GALENA, Kan. — A way to honor military men and women past and present by saluting all they have done.

“I’ve never seen a Black Hawk before. So it was truly surprising when it landed. It was super cool,” said Galena High School senior Kimree Brown.

This year’s Galena School District’s “Salute to Service” event began with a Kansas National Guard Black Hawk helicopter landing on the high school football field. Galena School District staff, alumni and students gathered to salute those serving.

“Knowing that there are people from our own community who are serving and so close to home, it’s nice to know them, but it’s also nice to know that some of the kids in my grade are going to do that, too,” Brown said.

Brown was among students from kindergarten through 12th grade who listened to the speeches and learned more about active duty and veterans. His favorite of the speakers was Galena alumnus and current U.S. Congressman Jake LaTurner.

“We’re all here for each other and stuff like that. It’s like no matter what you do, we’ll all be here to support you. And I think Jake Turner did a really good job of expressing that.”

“This was an opportunity for me to come back home and thank the people who helped me along the way,” LaTurner said.

For LaTurner, it was a way to get back to where he first started. He also highlighted the service as a future opportunity for students.

“Bringing Black Hawk to Galena is an opportunity to encourage students here and throughout the region to consider military service as an option for themselves,” LaTurner said.

Each student had the opportunity to ask questions and tour the Black Hawk helicopter. Galena School District Superintendent Toby Vancleave said the event also marks the beginning of the Veterans event on Nov. 8.

This is also a way to teach and inspire students about service.

“Our kindergarteners may not see the full impact of this today, but eventually they will remember this day and grow up and realize that bulldogs can really do anything they want,” Vancleave said.

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