Local Veteran/Nurse Runs Thousands of Miles Over Five Years to Achieve Dream Honoring POWs, MIAs

At a brief 11:00 a.m. ceremony, Schepers will raise two flags on a newly-installed 60' flagpole on the campus of his employer, St. Joseph's Hospital, located at 69 Exchange Street W. He will be joined by other veterans, as well as the hospital employees who have supported his quest over the years.

Schepers is no stranger to projects that encourage citizens to think about veterans--where they've come from, what they've contributed to society, and how to remember their unique role in history from generation to generation. In fact, for the past 17 years, he's devoted thousands of miles during his non-working hours to take on running challenges which do just that.

From 1990-1996, Schepers ran to raise awareness and support for the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. In late 1996, he began a two-year running odyssey that took him 3,500 miles throughout Minnesota building knowledge and excitement for a state Korean War Memorial. June 2000 (in pre-9/11 America) marked the start of his 3,300 mile run from California to our nation's capitol to raise awareness for the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. That journey was chronicled by many broadcast and print media outlets. Exactly one year later, in 2001, he began a multi-year trek to secure funding and support for a Minnesota World War II Memorial. Finally, in 2002, he started running for his "Flags of the Freeway" project, with a goal of installing a flagpole flying American and POW/MIA flags in downtown St. Paul.

"This project had me running around town and the state 4-5 days a week," said Schepers, 61. "I did it because I felt a POW/MIA recognition site would be perfectly placed in this neighborhood due to the proximity to the Veteran’s Service Building and the Armory."

Schepers worries about the stories of these veterans getting lost with the passage of time. "Every day, approximately 1,000 WWII veterans die," Schepers noted. "While they don't always volunteer to talk about their experiences, if society asks them to share their recollections, we will all have a better understanding of our shared history."

Schepers served from 1966-1968 in the I Company, 3rd Batallion, 5th Marine Regimen, 1st Marine Division. He was wounded in 1967 but finished the rest of his tour overseas. Upon returning to the States, he held several jobs; he then decided to attend nursing school. He graduated from Anchor Nursing School in 1973 and spent 22 years as an R.N. in the Intensive Care Unit at Divine Redeemer Hospital. He joined St. Joseph’'s Hospital thirteen years ago on March 21, 1994, which was the anniversary date of the onset of his military career. Schepers cares for patients inthe Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.

"I still wear bracelets for two MIAs, one from Minnesota and one from Colorado," explained Schepers. "When veterans who are patients come through our doors here and they see the bracelets, we have an immediate, unspoken connection."

Schepers hopes that the POW/MIA flags will bring a sense of peace and comfort to those who visit St. Joseph's Hospital or those who travel around the downtown St. Paul area. "This city has a huge people connection to the early events at Pearl Harbor and to other historical conflicts," Schepers said. "I want this to be a tribute to veterans and their families who pass through our doors and a salute to all veterans who serve (past, present and future).

St. Joseph's Hospital Administration, along with the HealthEast Foundation, has helped to provide funding for this project.