By Bruce Karnick

[email protected]

United Heroes League held its annual Camo Gala on Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Heroes Monument in Hastings. The event highlighted accomplishments of the organization throughout this past year, and presented the following awards: Corporate Partner of the Year – Arby’s / Arby’s Foundation Corporate In-kind Partner of the Year – Log House Foods Pro Athlete of the Year – Nick Bjugstad, Minnesota Wild Volunteer of the Year – Derek Tillemans from Dallas Texas Service Member of the Year – SSG (Ret.) Erik Mossberg Ultimate Warrior of the Year – MSG Josh Bowers, Joint Special Operations Command Military Child of the Year – Brandon Durden from Tacoma WA There was also a special military “coining” ceremony for contributing contractors that have helped with the monument project including: HTG Architects, Stotko Speedling Const., Hille & Assoc., Ryan Co., Summit Concrete & Masonry, Aggregate Industries, Nadeau Excavating, Extreme Sandbox, Mr. Jerry Harrington, ProPower Rental, Wagner Construction, Hunt Electric, and Dave Slattery from the local IBEW.

The monument will hold over 4,300 special military bricks that recognize service members past and present by name for their service to our country. With three separate 60foot walls, the monument is one of the largest in the Twin Cities area and can in fact be viewed by aircraft coming and going from the MSP airport.

The evening concluded with an EPIC flag raising ceremony as United Heroes League looped in soldiers from the Minnesota Army National Guard’s Task Force Bastard live from the Middle East. These soldiers had just left Kabul, Afghanistan a few weeks prior. A massive U.S. flag (located at the center of the monument) was hoisted high above by a uniformed color guard as a military bugler played Taps to end the evening.

The monument, located on the UHL property just east of Hastings is currently closed to the public as it is still an active construction zone. A public grand opening of the Heroes Monument will occur on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, and The Journal will be sure to alert our readers to the exact location prior to that event. If you would like a private tour of the site, contact the UHL office to make those arrangements at: [email protected] org.

The annual celebration generated over $100,000 for the United Heroes League mission to help military kids and families heal and stay connected with their communities by keeping them engaged in sports.

Photo by Bruce Karnick.

Shane Hudella at the podium at the United Heroes League Camo Gala Saturday night.