By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com

The man who helped plan and then carry out the capture of Saddam Hussein will speak in Bucyrus at this year’s Veteran’s Day event.

Continuing from last year’s Veteran’s Day Weekend event, the Bucyrus Elementary School will host Veteran’s Day Weekend festivities once again on Saturday, Nov. 9, with retired U.S. Army officer Steve Russell speaking.

Bucyrus Alliance Church Senior Pastor Bill Strader explained how the Veteran’s Day Weekend celebration started.

“As a church we are thinking how we can best impact the community,” Strader said. “We had a committee and we talked about it, and thought you know the veterans sound like a pretty good group.”

“I am veteran and we have some veterans in the church. So we got in touch with veterans organizations, and some of the leaders within the community, and we just kind of concluded that would be a good target.”

The Veteran’s Day weekend festivities will begin Friday Morning with Steve Russell traveling to Wynford for a General Assembly from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.. Russell will give a speech at Bucyrus from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by assemblies at Colonel Crawford from 10:15 -11 a.m., and finishing at Buckeye Central speaking at a General Assembly from 1:30-2:30 p.m..

Saturday festivities begin with free breakfast from 8 to 9:45 a.m. United in Harmony will give a performance during the breakfast featuring songs honoring all branches of the United States Armed Forces.

At 10 a.m. Russell will be give a speech about his service which includes recounting the capture of Saddam Hussein.

Following Russell’s speech the auditorium will be converted into an obstacle course as county school students in grades 6-12, as well as adults will be able to compete in an obstacle course. Craig Rogghe from the Bucyrus Alliance Church will oversee the obstacle course event in which the top three men’s and women’s times will be calculated with a trophy being presented to the school with the best combined time.

Pastor Strader explained that the event has received a lot of help from the local schools, as well as other area churches.

The Saturday event is free to the public, however if people wish to donate a veterans fund will be utilized. In 2012 the Disabled Veterans of Crawford County were the recipients when Navy Seal Chad Williams spoke for the first Veteran’s Day Weekend event.

For more information on the event contact the Bucyrus Alliance Church at 419-562-2069.