A National Guardsman from LeMars has been invited to a football game in one of the nation’s most-famous stadiums when he returns from active duty.

First Sergeant Rick Singer is among 120 Iowa National Guard soldiers from Company D in Denison who’ve just been activated for duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Dennis Brown of the University of Notre Dame says Singer’s sister contacted the school. "We had some e-mail back and forth with his sister, Kris De Rocher, and know that he is a big Notre Dame fan. In fact, his dog’s name is Irish," Brown says. "The e-mail message brought a tear to several eyes around here and we really felt this would be a really good individual to help out when he returns."

The Fighting Irish are giving Singer four tickets to a 2008 Notre Dame football game in South Bend, Indiana.

Singer also served on active duty in Kosovo in 2004 and 2005.