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- State names
day for Maas
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- By Dylan
Belden, Albert Lea Tribune
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- A former
Albert Lea coach, teacher, recreation director and mentor to many got a
surprise last week: a day in his honor.
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- LeRoy Maas and
his wife, Lillian, went to a banquet at the Elks Club Friday thinking
they were going to recognize donors to the LeRoy Maas Scholarship Fund.
But during the celebration, Manny Stiel, one of the trustees of the
foundation, presented them with a framed proclamation signed by Gov.
Tim Pawlenty declaring Sept. 26 LeRoy and Lillian Maas Day in
Minnesota.
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- "All this for
an old guy like me is kind of overwhelming," said Maas, 86.
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- "I'm just Joe
Blow down the street," he said.
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- But Pete
Veldman, a former pupil and trustee of the fund, said Maas had an
extraordinary affect on many young people.
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- "I was a
little farm kid from Hollandale, and he was the first teacher who made
a real impression on me," Veldman said. Maas coached Veldman in
football, track and wrestling; Veldman went on to be a state wrestling
champion.
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- "What he did
for kids who were from broken homes, or one of their parents was
deceased, he was really a father figure for many of those kids," he
said.
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- Along with
other former Maas students, Veldman helped create the scholarship fund
in 1996. Since then, the foundation has granted scholarships to 15
Albert Lea wrestling students.
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- Veldman said
the group wanted to do something special for Maas this year, and
decided to pursue the proclamation from the governor. Manny Stiel did
most of the leg work, Veldman said.
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- "Those things
are not easy to get through," Veldman said. "They normally don't do
that for any person. You have to know Manny Stiel to know how
persuasive he is."
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- It probably
didn't hurt that Pawlenty was Veldman's student at South St. Paul High
School, where Veldman taught and coached for years.
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- When Stiel
gave him the proclamation, Maas said he was astounded. "It's amazing,
these kids," he said.
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- Fitting his
role as a father figure, Maas still uses the word "kids" when talking
about Veldman and his other former students.
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- "I'm going to
be 70 in a couple of days," Veldman said with a laugh.
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- (Contact
Dylan Belden at dylan.belden @albertleatribune.com or 379-3433.)
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THE LEROY MAAS SCHOLARSHIP
FUND
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2430 ANTHONY STREET
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SOUTH ST. PAUL, MN 55075
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FAX: (612)451-0354
(612)451-6726
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Updated 10/02/03 Webmaster
Larry Johnson Class of 1961
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