Join Flagler County at its Memorial Day Ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday, May 29, featuring special guest speaker Peggy Hengeveld, Colonel, U.S. Army (retired), whose military honors include the Legion of Merit and induction into the Honorable Order of St. Michael. She has a diverse nursing career, both military and civilian, that includes volunteering at the Flagler Free Clinic.
“Flagler County has a very strong community of veterans,” said Veterans Service Officer David Lydon. “It is a privilege and an honor to have a distinguished veteran like Col. Peggy Hengeveld help us pay tribute to those who lost their lives in service to our country.”
While in uniform, 1978 to 2006, Hengeveld served with the 108th Combat Support Hospital, the 103rd Medical Battalion, and the Joint Force Headquarters of the Pennsylvania Army Nation Guard. In 2002, she became the first female soldier from the Pennsylvania Army Nation Guard to graduate from the United States Army War College.
Hengeveld has worked in cardiac care, intensive care, oncology, and occupational health and safety. She served as the Occupational Health Nurse at Three Mile Island from 1978 to 1989. She went on to develop a corporate occupational health program for the Good Samaritan Hospital in Lebanon, PA, that provided work-related services to more than 250 companies from 1998 to 2012. In her last position as Safety and Occupational Health Manager for the Pennsylvania Army Nation Guard, she served the needs of the soldiers and full-time federal technician workforce.
Her motto is “Never stop serving,” which Hengeveld continues to exemplify as a lifetime member of the American Legion, president of the Flagler County chapter of the Military Officers of America Association, volunteer at the Flagler Free Clinic, an AARP income tax scheduler, and a member of the University Women of Flagler.
The ceremony will be at 10 a.m. in front of the Government Services Building, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell.
Local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will lead attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. Shannon Rae will sing the National Anthem and later “God Bless America.” Vince Cautero will once again lead the singing of “God Bless the USA.”
“We will also recognize the loss of Army Private First-Class Raheen Tyson Heighter, who died July 24, 2003, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom 22,” Lydon said. “He was one of three soldiers killed when his convoy came under enemy fire north of Hawd, Iraq.”
The Memorial Day event is sponsored by the Flagler County Commission and the Flagler County Veterans Advisory Council. Veterans and support groups to participate include the following: American Legion Post 115, DAV Chapter 86, Marine Corps League 876, Combat Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America-Flagler Chapter, Flagler County Veterans Service Office, VFW Post 8696, and the Knights of Columbus 2810 Color Corps.
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