For one recent day the regulars at the Tri-County Senior Center welcomed a mixture of community individuals and groups to pay tribute to local military veterans.
The heavily planned luncheon drew a crowd of 100 – more than double the normal Thursday crowd – and fed 80 lunches. Students, veterans’ families,
The students who joined the celebration had to get back to class.
On Thursday, November 9, the Tri-County Senior Center – joined by Mayor Heather Filley, Jeff and Paula White, Honor Flight’s Lorado Lopez, St. Bridget Catholic School eighth graders – paid tribute to the military service of local veterans.
Mayor Heather Filley opened the celebration, recognizing the seniors and welcoming the veterans.
St. Bridget eighth graders sang a medley of familiar patriotic songs, that captured the mood and created a chorus as patrons sang along.
Guest speakers Jeff and Paula parents of Jeff White – child and teen skateboard prodigy – to share memories of his life, military service and death, and about the Jeff White Skate Park that organizers are working to build in the Pacific City Park, in his honor.
There was not a dry eye in the house, I can tell you.
Lorando Lopez, from the Honor Flight program explained how the program works and how to sign up to be a volunteer to escort veterans to Washington D.C. to visit their War Memorials.
The highlight of the celebration was the Roll Call for each veteran. Terry Rule, Senior Center administrator kept a list of attendees and their respective branch of service. Veterans were asked to stand for each branch of service for their branch of service – Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines – as Ann Woehrle played the anthem for their branch on piano.
Each veteran received a door prize provided by the community. Some fourteen area businesses donated prizes that included, free hair cuts, free pizza, $50 gas cards provided by Pacific Mobil Station and a flat screen television donated by Jim Williams Insurance, and a free HVAC inspection/cleaning from Gildehaus Comfort Systems, Inc.
At the close of the ceremony lunch was served. Wayside South provided fried chicken to accompany Senior Center homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, pea salad, cranberry applesauce and bread pudding.
Businesses that participated in the celebration were: Ears To You in Pacific, Gildehaus Comfort Systems, G’s Barbershop, Guffy’s Pizza in Pacific, Hawthorn Inn, Pacific Mobil, Presley Glass, Riechers in Washington, Shelter Insurance in Pacific, Straatman Feed in Labadie, Pacific Pizza Hut, Holiday Inn at Six Flags, and Jim Williams Insurance.
“I love seeing how our little community pull together for our seniors, and we definitely want to give all the participants a shout out out to encourage this type of get together.
Story provided by Denise Stauffer Vanderbilt, Photos by Carolyn Barfield
