, 
Recognizing those who serve or have served in the military will follow a different format for Veterans Day 2020.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, programs will be shared via pre-recorded broadcasts to be aired on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Rock County’s virtual program will contain individual videos assembled into one final program.
“(We are) keeping somewhat of a similar itinerary in mind,” said Ryan Johnson, principal of Luverne High School where Veterans Day programs are typically held.
“We are connecting with LuvTV to program it, playing at 10:30 that day for all to view — whether TV or online.”
Portions of the program have already been filmed
•The Presentation of Colors by the 1st Battalion 125th Field Artillery A Battery members of the Minnesota Army National Guard.
•Pledge of Allegiance cited by members of the LHS Student Council.
•Music performed by the LHS band and choir. The choir recorded “We Will Remember” by Karl Hitzemann.
•Taps performed by LHS senior Ainslie Robinson.
•Veterans Day speakers are Michael “Mic” Welch and Abby Pierce.
Welch, LHS Class of 1980 and Naval veteran, recorded his speech Oct. 29 at the Herreid Military Museum in Luverne.
He recounted the founding of Veterans Day, the people and the reason behind the annual national holiday.
He also shared personal experiences of 21 years in the U.S. Navy, spending 1,369 days in a submarine, a little more than 7.5 school years underwater.
“I challenge and ask that you capture some of the family veteran’s history of your own family and pass that foundation of patriotism and Americanism and the thought of service at a level more valuable than one’s self to others and as part of the history of our service,” Welch said.
Pierce, a 2012 LHS graduate, is a senior airman with the South Dakota Air National Guard.
Her military story is still being written, having joined in 2017.
“My joining the military came as quite a surprise to my family as I am the first and only real military member in the family,” she said in her prerecorded speech.
“I saw the military as an opportunity to meet new people, grow as a person, prove to myself that I could accomplish something hard, and travel the world — all of which have happened to me.”
Pierce talks about basic training, deployment to Afghanistan and the valuable lesson of not always being in control.
“This is a huge thing to learn because — especially in today’s world — you might feel like things are chaotic and out of control,” she said.
“Some things are, but learning to tell the difference between what you can and can’t control – and making the most of what you can – really changes your perspective.”
The Rock County virtual Veterans Day program, “Honoring All Who Served,” will be broadcast at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, on various platforms:
•KQAD 800 AM or at K101fm.net
•Luverne cable access channels — LUVTV
•Online at https://www.cityofluverne.org/luvtv
More Veterans Day plans
•Hardwick Legion canceled their annual Veterans Day program.
• Hills is organizing a virtual program with the Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary School.
•The Veterans Day reception at the Herreid Military Museum in downtown Luverne will not take place. The museum will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Masks are required inside the building during the self-guided tours.
•No public recognition of veterans at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne will take place. In-house activities are planned to recognize each resident veteran.
•The official State of Minnesota Veterans Day Program is also a broadcast this year. The 30-minute recorded program is available starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs website at MinnesotaVeteran.org/VeteransDay2020.
H-BC completing virtual Veterans Day program
Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary School will host a virtual Veterans Day program Wednesday, Nov. 11.
The Hills Legion Post 399 will complete the Presentation of Colors and invocation for the program.
High school senior Allie LaRock will provide music along with the school band and choir.
The completed video will be available for viewing on YouTube, according to social studies instructor Randi Oftedahl, who is organizing the event.