WARDSVILLE, Mo. - Blair Oaks held a ceremony to recognize military veterans on "Honor Our Heroes" night, an annual event hosted by the Lady Falcons.
During the ceremony between the JV and varsity games, 73 veterans were introduced on the field, acknowledging their branch and years of service.
Among those recognized were Dan Campbell, who served 20 years in the Army National Guard prior to becoming Helias' head coach.
"I just really appreciate Coach Buschjost calling us and inviting us to this," said Campbell, who was one of the speakers during the ceremony. "I love the military, I love veterans, and for us to be a part of this, I thought it was a really special night."
The evening was also a special one for Blair Oaks senior shortstop Macey Stockman, whose great-grandfather, Jim Rackers, was among the honorees. Rackers served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
"I love how family can tie into softball," Stockman said. "He's 94, so he doesn't come to a lot of softball games, so it was cool that he could come to this. Softball's more than just a game to me."
Active veterans who were unable to attend were also recognized Tuesday night. Jeremy Berendzen, the father of Blair Oaks junior softball player Kaylin Berendzen, was recently deployed with the U.S. Army's 235th construction management team.
Each veteran was presented with a plaque thanking them for their service. Kaylin Berendzen accepted a plaque on her father's behalf.