Angela Brandt
Havre Daily News
abrandt@havredailynews.com
Two Havre High School seniors will help salute area senior citizens this weekend.
Joe Palmer and Andrew Dusek, both Havre High speech and debate team members, will serve as masters of ceremony for the 16th annual Salute to Senior Citizens. The event is sponsored by Havre Public Schools and will take place Sunday at the Havre Middle School.
The salute is organized by Havre school officials in appreciation of the support seniors have shown the public school system and is open to all Havre-area senior citizens.
The event will include a free brunch featuring potato casserole, muffins and fruit. The meal will be prepared by the middle school food service staff and served by the Havre Middle School Junior Helpers. Doors will open at noon and the brunch will be served beginning at 12:30 p.m.
A program of entertainment will display Havre schools' talent, including HMS student Megan Quintero singing “Summertime” and “Blue Moon,” the HMS Cotton Candy Ballet, the HHS district festival band and choir ensembles, a piano solo by Sunnyside Intermediate School student Kodey Sands and a vocal quartet singing “Cunti Simus.”
HMS and HHS students' artwork will be displayed in the foyer, along with art and quilts by Adult Community Education students.
Vicke Schend, one of six Salute to Senior Citizens committee members, said about 175 seniors attended last year's event, and she expects a similar turnout this year.
A new feature to the salute that began last year and will continue this year is valet parking, which will be done by the salute committee members.
Decorations for the event will be provided by Sunnyside Intermediate and Lincoln McKinley Primary students and handmade notepads, which the senior citizens can take home as souvenirs, will be supplied by the middle school life skills class.
The saluting began 16 years ago. Former Havre Public Schools superintendent Robert Windel and the school board at the time were instrumental in organizing the first salute. HPS superintendent Kirk Miller, who has been involved in 10 salutes and will supply the day's closing remarks, said the district continues the event because it is a chance to thank senior citizens for their continued support of Havre schools. Seniors help the schools by volunteering, attending student productions and supporting mill levies, he said.
“I feel it is very important to recognize the foundation of our community, which is our seniors,” Miller said today. “It's one day a year to show some of the talent we have in our schools and show appreciation. It's a wonderful event”
