With some assistance from several others including Commandant Todd Jacobus of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Rep. Sue Cahill (D-Marshalltown), County Supervisors Carol Hibbs and Steve Salasek, County Treasurer Deann Tomlinson, County Auditor/Recorder Nan Benson and VA Administrative Assistant Shari Coughenour, hundreds of gift bags were distributed to local veterans with sweatshirts donated by Hy-Vee and pork tenderloins from Prestage Farms. Pate also provided an insert with a reminder on how to register to vote in Iowa.

“My office, on our challenge coins, we put on (them) ‘Honor our veterans,’ because they put it on the line for us so that we have the rights and privileges we have,” Pate said. “And one of those happens to be voting, and the fact that these folks have dedicated themselves to this country both in service to the military but also after that. Many of them are part of our communities and do things every day, and coming out today and thanking them is the least we can do. I’m proud to see that we’re doing more of these activities on a regular basis.”

Huseboe commented on the continuous momentum to make Marshalltown and Marshall County as veteran friendly as possible, from the Home Base Iowa designation granted earlier this year to the preliminary plans for a new memorial on the southwest corner of the courthouse lawn.

“(In) Marshall County, our showcase of the state is the Iowa Veterans Home. Todd does an incredible job out there. We see over eight different counties coming to us because they’re told in some of the counties ‘Guess what? You don’t qualify. You make too much money.’ I get so tired of hearing that. It drives me nuts,” Huseboe said. “They come up here, they visit with Shari and myself, and we apply for it. At our level, we submit the claim. If we send it up the ladder and it sticks on the wall, guess what? It’s a win, and it moves forward.”

Marshall County VA Administrative Assistant Shari Coughenour, front right, and Rep. Sue Cahill (D-Marshalltown), back right, handed out gift bags for veterans on the courthouse lawn Thursday morning.

Pate highlighted the long history of Iowans serving in the military across all major American conflicts as something the state’s residents should be proud of both on Veterans Day and throughout the year. He also hopes veterans will continue to set an example for others in their communities.

“We need folks to be mentors for our young people, and there are a lot of good veterans who are very capable and willing to do that,” he said. “They’re not done serving. Just because they did their military service doesn’t mean they’re done, so we wanna make sure that we invite them and thank them for what they’re doing.”

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.