The Women in the Military of Freeborn County recently gave the Freeborn County Museum a collection of “Our Stories” from local women who served from World War II to Iraq. Accompanying the “Our Stories” is another collection of how the Freeborn County Women in the Military served, along with the activities that honored them.

The collections were started by two librarians from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Locally they were compiled by veteran Lisa Parrish into scrapbook form. The books were then completed by veteran Sandy Maiden with the help of Irene Andersen of the Freeborn County Veterans’ Service Office. Irene hopes to complete a CD with the voices of the women as they tell their stories.

These stories are an account of what the local women veterans, who served in all branches of the military, experienced from basic training until their discharge. The stories also describe how society and the various military branches responded to having women in the military.

There are over 20 stories told by the women who served from this area. Some of their stories are told through their obituaries. It is the hope of Sandy and Irene, with the help of Freeborn County Historical Museum Executive Director Pat Mulso, that the stories of the women in the military will continue to be told, and that more women who served will come forward to add their stories to the collection.