Veteran of Year’s ‘desire to give has no boundaries’

Veteran of Year’s ‘desire to give has no boundaries’

BELLEVUE — U.S. Air Force veteran Scott Sparks has been named the 2023 Huron County Veteran of the Year by the Huron County Area Veterans Council. “In the past year, not only has Scott continued to support the American Legion after 30 years (in the Air Force), he works within his community where he puts in many hours volunteering. He is a member of VFW Post 2743, Team Rubicon and the Huron County Area Veterans Council. He is currently the council secretary and has been a very important part of fundraising,” according to his nomination from the Blue Star Mothers. “He has been an asset to his community, with introducing the Hometown Heroes banners, along with volunteering with the Volunteers of America, Becky’s House and the Huron County Humane Society. His desire to give and help others has no boundaries,” according to his nomination. 

The Veteran of the Year banquet began with members of the Ohio Army National Guard in Norwalk posting the colors. Sandy Mesenburg, U.S. Army Sergeant First-Class Retired, was the featured speaker. During her 30-year career in the Army, U.S. Army Reserves and Ohio Army National Guard, she served as a combat medic, worked in communications and was a National Guard recruiter.  John Cook, Huron County Area Veterans Council treasurer, discussed current projects of the council. He said EHOVE Career Center students are building handicapped-accessible picnic tables for the Veterans Pavilion at the Huron County Fairgrounds. The Friends of Veterans award went to two local couples — Meg and Stu Corso, and Scott and Mary Tester. The Quilt of Valor recipients were U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jim Ruffing and William National Guardsman William Wallace.