Millerton turns out to honor its veterans

MILLERTON — Though the crowd was thin, emotions were thick as members of the Millerton American Legion Post 178 welcomed those in attendance to its 85th annual Veterans Day commemoration. Sean Klay, Army captain and post historian, emceed the event and spoke about the importance of the holiday that began as Armistice Day.“Really, it’s just a point where we get to honor the living veterans and the guys who came home rather than Memorial Day, when we remember those who have passed,” he said. “And it’s an opportunity for the community to thank those who served and to recognize them for their service.”That’s exactly what they did on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. — the official time Veterans Day is recognized each year. The Legion held the ceremony at Veterans Park, just across from the coffeehouse. And it was there that resident Ralph Fedele was sitting earlier that morning when he looked across at the flag-lined park and noticed all of the fallen leaves, and decided to do something about it. So Fedele, a community activist and member of the betterment group, Townscape, went home, retrieved his rake, returned to the park and raked up all the leaves. He did so without seeking any recognition or reward.“I really just think he ought to be recognized for that,” said resident Cathy Fenn, the woman who shared Fedele’s cleanup with this newspaper.That feeling of community was a theme North East town Supervisor John Merwin said is an integral part of holidays like Veterans Day, one he wished more people took the time to acknowledge.“All we have to do is look around at what a great country we have. We survived an election, where people agree to disagree, and we have that right because of what these people have done,” Merwin said. “It’s only fitting to recognize these men and women and what they’ve done for us over the years,” he added. “I think the whole community needs to, and the whole nation needs to appreciate that, and I don’t think they do so enough.”Klay agreed that community support means a lot to those who have put their lives on the line to protect the unknown masses.“It’s always nice to see the community and those who made the effort to come out and reinforce that what we do is worthwhile,” he said.The day’s speaker was Army Master Sgt. Chris DeMars, from Gill, Mass. DeMars was Klay’s platoon sergeant in Afghanistan; he was also recovering from injuries at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., when Post 178 was there preparing a barbecue for wounded warriors.“You have a post here that gives back to the community and gives back to veterans,” DeMars told the crowd, adding that some veterans are known to their neighbors and others go unrecognized. He said whether they talk of their service or not, all veterans deserve to be thanked, and not only on Veterans Day.DeMars also spoke about what being a veteran on Veterans Day means to him.“It’s our veterans that keep our country safe,” he said, noting veterans share a common bond of wanting to do their best to serve their country. “It’s a wonderful thing to have a day that honors you and other veterans.”