Rochester Ford donation saves Korean War veterans’ parades

July 30--The Korean War Veterans Club finally got the opportunity to feel like their service was appreciated when their flag-adorned trailer was greeted by cheering crowds around southeastern Minnesota.

But due to high insurance costs, they were going to lose the opportunity to participate in parades. They went back and forth, debating whether or not to sell the trailer.

That's when Rochester Ford stepped in and offered to provide a truck and driver for the Club's local parades.

"The news was like a prayer answered. We are all getting old, so we can't march anymore. It meant so much," Cyril Kubista, Commander of the Korean War Veterans Club of Rochester said.

One club member, Sterling Mestad, has been a salesman at Rochester Ford since 1951, and reached out with a Club member who had been a customer of the dealership, to see if he could find someone to help. When the request came in, the response was, "That's the least we can do for Korean War veterans."

Due to Ford's donation, the Club will be appearing next at the Chatfield Western Days on Aug. 9 and at Rochester RV and Marine Aug. 21-23 for Local Heroes' Day. The veterans were also invited to parades in Pine Island, Chatfield, Stewartville, Wynona and Mazeppa.

The Korean War Veterans Club of Rochester has 212 members and meets every Monday morning. They also do monthly greeting at Century High School to stay in touch with the community.

"The Korean War veterans never got a fair shake. When we came back, we were told to shut up and go back to work. Now, we have a chance to talk about our experiences, which some had never done before," Kubista said.

The club also is hosting the Korean War Veterans National Convention in October, where they will gather, talk about their experiences and feature the Soldier's Field Veterans Memorial.

During their public appearances, the veterans are usually dressed in white shirts, caps and dark pants. "Stop by and say 'Hi.' You will never meet a nicer or more appreciative group of veterans," Kubista said.

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