"The veterans, as they get older, are kind of forgotten," Adeline Guy, from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary and former state president of the association, said. "We just think this is a good way to remember their service."
And the veterans' service was, indeed, remembered, in a memorial service by the VFW Ladies Auxiliary on Friday at Trinity Nursing Home in the third floor chapel. More than 100 people were there, including veterans who are residents at Trinity Homes.
Peggy Headrick, also former state president of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, opened the service with a prayer, asking that "all our veterans be welcomed into the kingdom."
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Jesse D. Watson/MDN
Adeline Guy (blue, center), Peggy Headrick (blue, right) and more than 100 others pledge allegiance.
The Sisters by Choice, a singing group made up of Terri Aldrich, Janice Veikley and Pam Hopkins, clad in WWII uniforms that were given to them, then performed the national anthem.
Sharol Paulson, another former state president of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, now the state secretary/treasurer, followed by speaking about the importance of Veterans Day.
"Let it be our mission," she admonished, "to preserve the memory of their great deeds."
Paulson also made sure to remember the men and women currently in the service, referring to them as "tomorrow's veterans."
After this, the Sisters by Choice returned to the stage and sang a WWII-era-style song, just one from the setlist of their bigger show.
Steve Veikley played Taps, Headrick closed with a prayer, and Guy let the audience know that this was just "a short version of what you'd see Sunday (at the Municipal Auditorium) should we be lucky enough (to be able to perform it despite the weather)."
Treats were given to the veterans, and the color guard from the VFW was also there presenting the flags.
Guy said the program has been done off and on, but at least 10 years on, for perhaps 30 years with her in charge. The Ladies Auxiliary had been doing bingo twice a month for years, "so they just kind of asked us to do something for the veterans," she explained.
They do a Memorial Day program as well, but Guy said the Veterans Day program is the most important. "People seem to appreciate it a lot."
They'll be putting on the program, weather allowing, again at Manor Care, The Wellington Assisted Living, and possibly also at Edgewood Vista, where they'll at least be visiting and bringing some treats.
"This is a real busy month for us (because of Veterans Day)," Guy said, and it's especially been busy for her since she also worked the election. "I usually have a bake sale on Veterans Day, too," she continued, but not this year since it falls on a Sunday.
"We were kind of recovering from the flood last year since the club was flooded," but Guy feels this year they've gotten closer to being back to normal.
Paulson commented that, "If it weren't for the vets, we wouldn't be allowed to do what we do."