 100 years ago, the U.S. became involved with World War I, bringing troops from across the nation to the battlefield. For this week's In Focus, Mal Meyer learned about some of the Bemidji locals who went off to war. The Beltrami County History Center has pulled together photos, apparel, books and other artifacts for its When Beltrami Went to War exhibit. What we've tried to do is focus not so much on munitions or ammo or battle plans, but people. Many Beltrami County residents were deployed to the front lines. Some returned while others did not. Nurse Mary McGregor Given survived her service and had some of her stories recounted in the exhibit. I found a photograph of a soldier holding a gas mask. I found the gas mask or an agas mask and then Mae's story about what those men experienced. Tony Nicholson enjoyed looking at these artifacts and how the nurses had to treat those suffering from chemical attacks. How it permeated their clothing and had to cut it off from a distance so they wouldn't lay themselves and not get affected by the gas. The center was able to comb through their archives filled with donated items to create the exhibit. They also received many items about Ralph Gracie, a Bemidji man who died in battle from the local American Legion post. This is something I talked about in Memorial Day about the legacy of Ralph Gracie and what he did. If we don't perpetuate that, his legacy will die. Joseph Puchalski says that people are starting to lose interest in this war and have moved on to more recent conflicts. I feel like people are starting to lose interest in the first world war as opposed to the second and so I'd like to try and keep that alive in my generation. The center hopes that by having the artifacts, the war will be more tangible and renew interest for attendees. These are items that we hope will help folks relate to the war a little bit better. In Bemidji, with this week's in focus, I'm Mal Meyer, Lakeland News. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.