INSIDE
: Firefighter Dan Roesler honored at retirement
REFLECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY
Volume 4, Issue 6 July 3, 2026
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America 250: OCH&GS receives Never Forget Garden By Sharon Hallack The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent A very special veterans memorial garden was recently installed at the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society’s (OCH&GS) headquarters located at the corner of Lincoln and Dryden Streets in downtown Hart. The new “Never Forget” Garden was a gift to the community from the Michigan Dunes Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) as one way for their organization to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary. “The idea was originally presented by the DAR’s America 250 Committee, and chapter members were eager to participate. After exploring possible locations, chapter members felt the OCH&GS's Chadwick-Munger House would provide a meaningful and beautiful backdrop to hon-
or and memorialize those who served our county,” Michigan Dunes NSDAR Regent Laurel Sawyer said. The garden, one of hundreds across the United States, is part of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Never Forget Garden initiative that was first started in 2018 by the Society for the Honor Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to commemorate the Tomb's Centennial in 2021. Since that time, the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Never Forget Garden” initiative has encouraged communities to plant gardens as a visual representation of America’s commitment to the sacred duty of recognizing, remembering and honoring our veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the country, especially those who are “missing” or “unknown." “These gardens also serve as a reminder to all who have served that we will ‘never forget — I am in it with you,’” said Sawyer. “A special marker placed in
the garden represents a mutual pledge to support our veterans with ‘our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor,’ words drawn from the Declaration of Independence and tied to America’s enduring responsibility to never forget.” Not only is each flowering plant and shrub planted in the garden beautiful in its own right, but each carries a special meaning evoking remembrance, honor, and sacredness, Sawyer said. The backdrop to
the garden plaque is the white rose, representing reverence, purity of remembrance, honor and enduring love. In the garden, it offers a peaceful and sacred reminder that the sacrifices of our veterans, known and unknown, will always be remembered. Other flowers and shrubs chosen for the garden include boxwood symbolizing enduring memory; hydrangeas representing heartfelt emotion and gratitude; pink carnations remembering a mother’s love; peonies picturing honor and bravery; and lavender portraying devotion and trust, among many others. The garden is designed to be a solemn place of remembrance, a site of renewal, and an inspiration for future generations to honor service. The Michigan Dunes NSDAR hopes that as this special garden grows, it will remind the community to honor the past and keep the memory of our vet-
erans alive for generations to come. The OCH&GS Board of Directors wishes to extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Michigan Dunes NSDAR for selecting their headquarters as the location for this very special installation. “We invite the community to stop by any time to enjoy the new Never Forget garden located on the south side of the building. OCH&GS is fortunate to have three longstanding members, Sharon Hedinger, Nancy Rakosky and Joan Wegner, who are also longtime members of the Michigan Dunes DAR. Their involvement in both organizations adds a lot of value to our Society and to the entire community,” said OCH&GS Board President Paul Erickson. To learn more about the activities and initiatives the Michigan Dunes NSDAR is involved in, or to inquire about membership, please visit www.dunes. michdar.net.
America 250: Celebrating July 4 – A Neighborhood Tradition for 20 Years By AnnaMae Bush The Oceana Echo Community Correspondent
PERMIT NO 62
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A story in Good Housekeeping magazine twenty years ago about a small neighborhood holiday parade inspired Debbie Heidel to initiate a similar tradition for July 4 in her Pentwater neighborhood. “I thought it sounded like fun,” she said.
What she and her husband Mark started with just two families marching a couple of blocks on Rutledge Street has thrived. Today this neighborhood parade begins at the corner of 5th Street and South Rutledge, continues south to Park Street, turns to Hancock Street, goes north to the marina and then returns to 5th and Rutledge. “We begin to gather at 10:15 a.m. and start walking our route at 10:30 a.m. We recite the Pledge of Allegiance and appoint a flag bearer to lead the group. Our number of participants grows, collecting neighbors as we go,” Heidel reported. “We have perhaps 90 people by the time we finish. Then we have a hot dog roast hosted at our house and across the street at Bill and Louise Huntoon’s house. The merchants on Hancock Street are always kind and supportive as we crowd the sidewalks in front of
riding bikes has not been part of the tradition. Heidel shared, “With many of us in our 60s and older, walking is the safest mode for us.” Recent newcomers were delighted to distheir stores. We are usu- young children partic- cover the neighborhood ally done with lunch at ipate, decorating and 12:30 p.m.” The Heidels came from Flint, and the By AnnaMae Bush Huntoons are from The Oceana Echo Grand Ledge, and they Community Correspondent have friends from both areas who join the paThe Heidel family has rade. The friends usually another special reason come from their camp- to celebrate America's sites at Charles Mears 250th birthday because State Park or Hill & Hol- of the opportunities low Campground to America gave both sets of The Mark and Debbie participate. Asked what their parents (Harold and Heidel family the group does as they Emma Sack, and Conrad march, Heidel chuck- and Katherine Heidel) She continued, “They led and replied, “We and their grandparents left their families in Ruswave flags and cheer. We (Alex and Amalia Miller, sia to pursue a better life call out ‘Happy birth- and Conrad and Eliz- for their children and for day, America.’ We play abeth Heidel). Debbie the freedom to worship some recorded music. Heidel shares, “Both my as they wanted. They We shout ‘Happy 4th of husband and I had Ger- were considered Volga July’ to neighbors, and man parents and grand- Germans from Russia bethe kids throw candy to parents. My husband cause their community in children we pass on our and I are 100% German, Russia was along the Volway. We smile and laugh and so are our two chil- ga River.” and make happy noise. dren. My mother’s parLiving in America Downtown sometimes ents were sent to Russia was her grandparents’ people respond by honk- and escaped out of com- dream. They made their ing their horns or waving munist Russia around first home in Wisconsin, back at us.” 1921 via a horse-drawn where a family sponsored By simply using the wagon. They entered the them. After a start in agsidewalk, the group United States through riculture, they moved to needs no permits for Ellis Island. My father’s the Flint area, where a blocking roads. Even family came in through large contingent of Volga though families with Baltimore.” Germans had settled and
tradition last July 4. Fred and Donna DeGraaf enthused, “We saw all these folks walking by who invited us to join them. How many places can you live where a friendly neighborhood tradition like this exists?”
A Special Reason to Celebrate worked for General Motors. Deb said, “Our grandparents had known each other in Russia and met again in Flint where they started a church. Flint was where Mark and I eventually met.” Deb asserted, “No one was prouder to be an American than my maternal grandfather! He even wrote a book about it, describing their escape from Russia and their travels…My mother was their first child born in the USA…He was my hero.” The Heidels’ son is in the military and could not be with them for July 4 last year, but he is coming this year and joining them for the neighborhood parade. His 6-month-old son Alex will be the youngest parade participant. All this adds joy to the family’s celebration of America's 250th.