Fargo AMVETS New Years Day Celebration

It's an annual event for the Post 7 building

FARGO, N.D. — The sound of music, the smell of good food and the sight of smiles of people dancing and laughing over jokes.

It’s the annual Fargo American Veterans New Years Day Celebration, at the AMVETS Post 7 building.

For Veterans like Steve Leedahl who served in the Army in Vietnam for a year says it’s important to help out veterans.

It’s a good time here doing all kinds of fun things, it’s a good things for vets to get together hey we are a family, veterans are a family.

Leedahl who now works with the American Veterans post says a big thing the organization prides itself on is it’s inclusiveness for service members as the group accepts active duty personal as well.

James Schlaker served in the Navy for 4 years.

“I was on a ship all the time so I didn’t have anything, couldn’t get into the water laughs,” Schlaker said.

During his service James was in Korea for 7 months until he went back to the states.

“Oh I was just ready to be home and behave myself and didn’t have to do anything like floating around the ocean,” Schlaker said.

For Leedahl the time is to celebrate the veterans at the party and also to remember all those who fought for our freedoms.

“There are 23 names in Washington D.C., people that died when I was there from our battalion,” Leedahl said.

Leedahl who spends his time volunteering at the V.A says he makes sure to help out other veterans.

“I call myself blessed to be able to make it home and so I try and do anything and everything I can for the ones that are less fortunate,” Leedahl said.