Due to the snow storm and snow removal there will be no parking on Main Street Until Further Notice
Today we honor our Veterans who have sacrificed and served. We honor as well, the men and women who are now serving in active duty.
The powerful but vulnerable tenants of Freedom and Liberty have from the very birth of our nation come with the important need to protect. This has been a heroic and often difficult task. A task performed often with diplomacy, but most visibly and courageously with the skill, expertise and strength of our military.
The words of praise we say today are important and meaningful, but the story of bravery is much deeper than words can describe.
This past spring as part of the Memorial Day and sesquicentennial activities, the men and women of both the VFW and American Legion in conjunction with the Historical Society, organized an exhibit of military uniforms, memorabilia and artifacts from the Revolutionary War to the current Middle East engagement. It included the Civil War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam. It was a comprehensive and emotional exhibit of the generations that have fought and served to protect freedom. It was an outpouring of community involvement. A uniform is a powerful icon, but the photos, letters and personal items from these many periods were a testament to the soul of a soldier and told the story each era.
What was so meaningful and heartfelt were the stories that were shared, the local family’s involvement and the individual sacrifices that were made. This exhibit was a moment that the community was able to see, the very human part of being a soldier. It was a gift to all of us and as a result, I believe it has given new understanding and depth about the experiences the men and women who served had. It revealed something intrinsic and unspoken about the men and women we thought we knew so well.
Thank you for this exhibit and your ongoing efforts to heighten awareness and recognize those who have served. These actions have had a ripple effect upon our Community. Above all and most importantly, thank you for your service and allegiance to our country. Your brave actions as soldiers and your commitment to ensure that these American stories are not lost, is so vitally important – they are of such great value to us and to future generations. It is this demonstration of patriotism that epitomize the continued sense of responsibility to your country and as a citizen I am so very grateful and proud.
The next Village Board meeting will take place Monday, November 20, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street.
