Welcome Home Rafteers!
Welcome Home Rafteers!
Rafting on the Mississippi River
Chicago to New Orleans, June-July 1964

Meeting with Mayor Vic Schiro
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  Certificate of Merit


   Key to the City of New Orleans
The day after their arrival, Monday, July 13, 1964, the four raftsmen met with the Mayor of New Orleans, Victor Schiro, in his office at City Hall. The mayor presented Certificates of Merit to the three from New Orleans (Norm, Ron, and Mike) . Les was given a Certificate of Honorary Citizenship. All four were given a Key to the City.


Norm Hellmers, Ron Wismar, Mayor Victor Schiro, Les Netland, Mike Riemer.
(Click on picture for larger image.)

The Times-Picayune of July 14, 1964 reported:
     "The mayor also presented keys to the city to four young men who came down the Mississippi and other rivers by raft on a trip that began in Chicago.
      One of the four, all of whom are students at Concordia Teachers College, River Forest, Ill., is Les Netland, 21, of Lakewood, Ohio, who also received a certificate of honorary citizenship. The other three, being New Orleanians, were awarded certificates of merit along with their keys. The three, all 20 years old, are Norm Hellmers, 5400 Chatham Dr.; Ron Wismar, 3701 St. Claude; and Mike Riemer, 2317 Benefit. Riemer joined the group at Helena, Ark."

Special Thanks

The rafters wish to acknowledge the kindness of Wilbert Amerland Sr. (Norm's cousin) for his assistance in arranging the meeting with Mayor Schiro. Wilbert was also responsbile for contacting the media that welcomed us on our arrival.



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