Otter Risers Kiwanis

Mike Thacker, E5 Specialist in the Army from 1969 - 1971, shared a bit about his remarkable Honor Flight to Washington,
DC. On May 10th, 127 vets plus volunteers took off from the Fargo airport after a military/police/firefighter tribute. Vets from World War II thru the Vietnam War were treated like royalty. The volunteers provided exceptional service that was nothing short of magnificent. Some of the Vets walked and some were aided by volunteers and wheelchairs. During their May 10-12, 2026 they visited just about every military Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, some of the Smithsonian, and….. wow! The intent of the Minnesota/North Dakota Honor Flight is to provide an opportunity for all Vets to see the DC Memorials. Special Honor gear - shirt, jacket, trip book, hat and duffle bag gifts kicked off their special event and will serve to rekindle the memories for years to come. “Trip of a lifetime!”, was Mike’s repeated sentiment that was overflowing with gratitude for the financial support(zero cost for the Vets), the kind volunteers and the many that provided spectacular send-off and return home celebrations.

Any advice? Mike recommended that the other Vets in the room( Bob, Paul,
Rob, and Neil) to check out the program, it’s “The trip of a lifetime!”

Mike’s wife, JoEllen, echoed the impact of the trip and their gratitude.

Impactful? Yes! Sadly, Barb’s father has passed. With gratitude for the Honor Flight that he had been on some years back, his honor jacket was his end of life celebration attire. A story that Barb looks back at fondly.

Thank you Mike!

Dale

Backing up a bit, on May 20th, Andrew Bremseth, Fergus Falls City Administrator, was our guest speaker. Andrew provided updates on a wide array of Fergus Falls ongoing efforts - as the Visit Fergus Falls group would say, it’s a story worth telling. DOT’s 210/I-94 project, economic development efforts, housing options, street improvements (great news - bids are coming in way below estimates), Chris Tungseth’s celebration, capital improvements and more. Since 2016, Andrew has been serving the city with passion and dedication. A story worth telling! Thank you Andrew.

On the business end, Wayne, Gerry, Wally and others kept us focused on our efforts to help the community.

Leadership matters,

Dale

Join us for breakfast and a great speaker on Wednesday, May 20, 2026!
Fergus Falls City Administrator Andrew Bremseth will share city updates, outline future plans, and set aside time for questions.
Are you eager to connect with the Fergus Falls community? Our members, including local business professionals, teachers, business owners, and retirees, are dedicated to making a difference by supporting children and youth programs.
We’d love to chat with you about joining our club. Send us a private message or email us at [email protected], and one of our friendly members will be in touch. We look forward to meeting you!
You can also visit our website to learn more about Otter Risers Kiwanis at otterriserskiwanis.org