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Veterans at Sunflower Diversified honored for their service
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Employees of Sunflower Diversified Services who are military veterans display their new T-shirts while being recognized at the non-profit agency. From left to right are: Kent Yetsche, John Lichter, Ron Heine, Dennis Steele and Meg Trapp.

        Five Sunflower Diversified Services employees recently were surprised to be in the spotlight when their co-workers honored them for 36 years of combined military service.

            Those honored, their service branches and Sunflower positions are: Kent Yetsche, U.S. Army National Guard, residential services; John Lichter, U.S. Army, director of facility maintenance; Ron Heine, U.S. Navy, General Public Transportation driver; Dennis Steele, U.S. Army, recycling manager; and Meg Trapp, U.S. Army, day services.

            “All of these veterans demonstrated their giving hearts when they were protecting our country and our freedoms,” said Jon Prescott, Sunflower executive director. “That legacy continues today as they serve Sunflower individuals with developmental disabilities and delays.

            “This recognition was a total surprise to them,” Prescott noted. “None of them had ever been honored at a job site before. Everyone at Sunflower’s Manufacturing Plant walked up and shook their hands and said ‘thank you.’ They were very appreciative.”

            Vicki Keffer, Sunflower’s director of Human Resources, organized this first-ever recognition event.

            “Vicki and her colleagues wanted to honor our veterans because Veteran’s Day is not celebrated with the passion and appreciation that it should be,” Prescott commented. “Veterans offer their lives so that we can enjoy our freedom. That is a gift that should never go unnoticed, unrecognized or unappreciated.

            “Freedom is not free; it always comes at a price,” Prescott added. “Our veterans pay that price for all of us here in the United States.”

            Keffer said the idea for the recent event started when she and Tammie Caley, chief financial officer, talked about ways to honor veterans.

            “I wanted to make something special happen and decided on custom-made T-shirts, cards and a receiving line,” Keffer said. “I intend to find even more ways to honor veterans in the future.

            “Our personal freedoms are available only because of our military – past and present,” Keffer added. “I am proud of my family’s military background and enjoy teaching our grandson to understand the respect due to all those who serve in the armed forces.”

            Sunflower serves infants, toddlers and adults with developmental disabilities and delays in Barton, Pawnee, Rice, Rush and Stafford counties. The non-profit agency is in its 52nd year.