At ceremonies held Saturday afternoon, members and guests of the Greenview Elks Lodge 2857 attended the dedication of a new pavilion to the military veterans in the Lake of the Ozarks area.
The pavilion was built behind the Elks Lodge on Missouri 7 in Greenview.
All the material and labor that went into construction of the building was donated by Lake Area businesses, veterans, and Elks members who worked through the worst heat of summer in order to have it ready for the Veteran's Day celebration.
The guest speaker U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., spoke about the sacrifices made by the military and about the debt of gratitude the citizens owe to all our military personnel.
Luetkemeyer also paid homage to the late Congressman Ike Skelton's dedication to the military throughout his 30-years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives.
"The military had no better friend than Ike Skelton," Luetkemeyer said. "He was a very good man and a close personnel friend."
The special guest of honor was retired Brig. Gen. John Seward, who retired in 2011 after 31 years of service. During his career, Seward was honored with a number of military decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal and the Bronze Star. He was a veteran of several combat missions including Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The ceremony opened with a presentation of the colors by the Mid County Fire Protection District color guard after which the crowd was lead in the Pledge of Allegiance by a local Boy Scout troop.
The Greenview Elks Lodge 2857 is made up of 170 members from around the Lake Area and several from other areas of the Midwest.
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