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11/12/2018 11:00 PMOn a cold Sunday morning, nearly 100 residents came out to the Guilford Green to honor and thank veterans. The ceremony included speeches from local leaders and veterans as well as the ringing of the bells when the clock struck 11 a.m., officially marking 100 years since the end of World War I.
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Commander Larry Santamaria coordinated the event and First Selectman Matt Hoey took the opportunity to thank Santamaria for all of his work before offering his own remarks.
“I would like to take a moment to thank you [Larry] for all you do on behalf of veterans through the VFW and the American Legion,” he said. “The work you do and continue to do to honor our veterans and support our veterans is essential. We need to remember the sacrifices that have been made by those that have served.”
Hoey said that Veteran’s Day can mean something different for everyone, but that it’s important all people stop and thank veterans for the sacrifices they made.
“I am reminded of a saying on the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C., ‘Freedom is not free,’” he said. “It comes at a cost to families and it comes at a cost to individuals. There are so many of our veterans who suffer today because of the experiences they have had in service to us. Let us continue to remember and honor the work they have done, the sacrifices they have made.”
State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-98) said he was pleased to see such a large turnout of residents at the ceremony.
“I am proud to be from Guilford for a lot of reasons, but I am proud that every year this crowd seems to get bigger and bigger and bigger and that is an incredible testament to our community that we are able to come out here once a year if not every day to honor the men and women from our community who have served and thank them for that service,” he said.
A few years ago, Scanlon started an essay contest for middle school students in his constituency, asking them to write on why people should thank veterans. This year’s winner is Adams Middle School student Sara Iglesias, who read her speech for the audience.
“A few years ago, if anyone had asked me why we should thank veterans, I may not have been able to give them a good and genuine answer,” she said. “I didn’t always understand the important contributions all veterans have made for America. But now, I don’t believe there is any way that is good enough to express the pure gratitude I hold in my heart for all veterans. The is no way to show them how thankful I am for giving me an incredible country to live in, for giving up so much time with their loved ones, and even risking their lives. The very least that any of us can do is thank them, and that’s why we must do so when given the chance. It is so important that we thank veterans to honor them, as they have brought honor to this country.”
In addition to the speeches, members of the community shared historical information on the men and women from Guilford who served in World War I and how Guilford responded to the war effort. Then, at 11 a.m. the churches on the green started a volley of church bells that rang for two minutes, joining with communities across the country that stopped for two minutes to honor those who served in the war that was supposed to end all wars.