GILROY
– Gilroyans got their annual chance Monday to publicly thank the
local men and women who went to battle to fight for their country
and to remember those who never came home.
GILROY – Gilroyans got their annual chance Monday to publicly thank the local men and women who went to battle to fight for their country and to remember those who never came home.
Gilroy’s annual Veterans Day celebration at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6309 brought out a crowd of nearly 200 people to the Sixth Street location. Local politicians, veterans young and old, and more than one Gilroy musical ensemble were on hand to honor those who have served America in all wars.
The celebration, which blocked off a portion of Sixth Street to through traffic, began 11 seconds after 11 a.m. The time was symbolic of the end of fighting during World War I, Nov. 11, 1918 at 11 a.m. Originally called Armistice Day, Congress changed the holiday’s name in 1954 to honor all veterans.
After asking for a show of hands from men and women who served in a war, Gilroy City Councilmember Bob Dillon told the audience to look around.
“Did you see Superman or Superwoman? No, you saw your friends and neighbors,” Dillon said. “These people are the bricks of our democracy. And the mortar is on those plaques you see over there,” Dillon continued, pointing to the memorials honoring fallen soldiers that hang on the VFW Post’s walls.
Joining Dillon as guest speakers on the sunny but chilly Monday morning were County Supervisor Don Gage, Gilroy Mayor Tom Springer, Desert Storm veteran Lisa Megan and Veterans Service Officer Major Chuck Roeder.
As the morning wind began to push over a United States flag that flanked the speakers’ podium, a Scout standing nearby held the pole for the remainder of the 30-minute celebration.
“A little wind won’t stop us today,” Mayor Springer told the vets in the audience. “It never stopped you.”
The yearly celebration had plenty of planned moments, too.
Before the speakers took the podium, Jennifer Werner sang the national anthem. And after the five speeches, the Gilroy High School Band played a medley of “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Following the band was the red-white-and-blue clad Side by Siders, a nine-member group of elderly female vocalists under the direction of Gwen Gillot.
A rifle salute, “Taps” and the retiring of the colors (removal of the flag) followed the musical entertainment.
“I thought it was a pretty nice ceremony,” said Gilroy resident Bud Collum, 83, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. “And that trumpeter who played “Taps,” he’s just a kid but he did a good job, too,” Collum quipped.
“Taps” trumpeter Al Mosso is in his 70s.
VFW Post 6309 Chaplain Wayne Cegelske directed the ceremony Monday. Cegelske said the VFW is in a membership-lean time.
“I guess it’s just a general lack of interest. Even after Sept. 11 there wasn’t an increase in our membership,” Cegelske said.
Members of the VFW are eligible for a variety of government benefits, such as waived fees at state schools, as are all veterans.
In his speech, Maj. Roeder, the veterans service officer for the county, told veterans and their family members to visit him at the VFW.
“I’m here Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon. If you haven’t seen me yet, you ought to soon,” Roeder said.
The VFW is located at 74 West Sixth St.
