Tippecanoe Lodge #174, aided by the teachers and children at LT Ball Intermediate School, held their annual memorial service on Friday, November 8. Worshipful Master Chris Springer welcomed the veterans, students, and guests at the 9:30 a.m. service. Fifth-grade students, directed by Mr. Steve Parks, sang God Bless America.

Principal Mike Vagedes delivered a Veterans Day reading and introduced the essay winners. The first place winner was Aiden Hunter, and he received $100. Jude Knull received second place and $50. The money was courtesy of the Tippecanoe Mason Lodge #174. Retired Master Sergeant Chris Drum was the guest speaker.

On Friday, November 8, the father of Bella Zornischenko was honored. Bella's father Senior Master Sergeant Zachary Zornischenko is the Senior Enlisted Leader of the Forces and Technologies Intelligence Group at Wright Patterson AFB. Senior Master Sergeant Zornischenko has served nearly 20 years in the Air Force, starting on the 25th of January 2005.

He has been deployed eleven times in his career, roughly equal to about seven years away from his family. The deployments include Iraq, Afghanistan, Algeria, Tunisia, Curacao, Korea, Kuwait, and Qatar. Congratulations are in order for Sergeant Zornischenko who is currently transitioning to a well-deserved retirement. Senior Master Sergeant Zornischenko and Bella will lay the wreath to commemorate fallen soldiers.

 The full transcripts of the essay winners and speeches given that day are available in the November 13 edition of the Tippecanoe Gazette.