.png)
The Rotary Club of Eagan and Kick-Start Rotary Club jointly sponsored a luncheon to celebrate three specific Eagan Veterans, Don Coffin, Michael Ferber, and Annie Young. Each Veteran reflected on their military experience and announced a designated non-profit to receive the $200 certificate from Rotary.
Close to 100 guests enjoyed the classic military ceremony with a color guard presenting the American flag, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, invocations from a military chaplain, chorus of traditional military songs and the concluding “Taps” by Rotarian John Curlee. This formal setting set the mood for emcee Bryan Frandrup to showcase the featured Veterans. “Today we honor three special Eagan Veterans, and all Veterans everywhere,” said Frandrup.
Don Coffin was a country boy from North Dakota who had never seen the ocean or been on a ship but signed up for the Navy anyway. “It was an education about life,” and he considered it an honor. His tour took him into the Mediterranean and mid-Atlantic. He reflected on three incidents he witnessed where over 300 personnel lost their lives. Coffin considered those soldiers his heroes. The Salvation Army was his designated charity.
Coming from the sheltered life of a small town, Mike Ferber followed his father to serve in the Navy. He valued traveling to new parts of the county and working with new personalities and cultures at a California Air Force Base. He considered it a time of building character and attitude from life experiences. Can Do Canines was his designated charity.
Annie Young served in North America and Europe as a technical sergeant in the Air Force and Minnesota Air National Guard. Young is an artist and inspirational speaker who created a painting depicting the American flag for the Veterans ceremony. She chose the Silent Warrior Project in Burnsville for her charity contribution.
A Veterans Day commemorative plaque, engraved with the preamble to the U.S. Constitution and updated with a 2021 medallion, was given to each sponsoring group, Eagan Men’s Chorus, Commons on Marice, Eagan Rotary Club, Eagan Kick-Start Rotary and Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans. Seven Rotarians were recognized for their service: Don DeGenaro (Navy), John Diedrich (Navy), Tom Egan (Army Reserve); Michael Ferber (Navy), Jim Hobday (Army), Glenn Perkins (Naval Dental Corps) and John Rhody(Army). In remembrance of past Rotarians, Billy Cunningham (U.S. Coast Guard), Fred Iglesia (Army), Wendahl Hahn (Navy), Cal Christensen (Navy), and Joe Connolly (Navy) were noted in the program.In the photo
The full organizing committee included Dan Burns, Jennifer Conoryea, Bryan Frandrup, Bob Holton, Jason Madson, John Rhody and Jo Weyrick.
The Rotary Club of Eagan was founded in 1987 and is affiliated with Rotary International. The club has 60 members. The Rotary Kick-Start club was funded in 2015 and has 37 members. The Rotary motto is “Service Above Self” and guided by the Rotary Four Way Test. See eaganrotary.org or eagankick-startrotary.org.
In the photo at upper right, with a backdrop of the American flag and the Annie Young painting depicting the American Flag, Veterans (from left) Annie Young, Don Coffin and Mike Ferber were honored by the Rotary Club of Eagan (Noon Club) and the Eagan Kick-Start Club for Veterans Day 2021. A $200 certificate was given to the following charities as designated by each Veteran, Salvation Army (Coffin), Silent Warrior Project Burnsville (Young) and Can Do Canines (Ferber). Community organizations supporting Veterans were recognized, Commons on Marice, Eagan Men’s Chorus and the Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans.