With respect, solemnity and patriotism, Darien veterans and town officials on Friday celebrated veterans who served in the U.S. military with a pledge of allegiance, symbolism, a poem and the reading of a proclamation in front of Town Hall.
About 50 people attended the event under a blue sky and with occasionally blustery winds.
Attendees at the Veterans Day ceremony in front of Town Hall recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
During one part of the ceremony, several dignitaries placed flowers and other items in an honored spot in front of Town Hall:
A red flower, symbolizing “zeal in upholding the ideals of liberty and justice”; a white flower, symbolic of “the purity fo love we have for them”‘ a blue flower, representing “fidelity and truth — we offer this to show them our respect”; an evergreen branch, symbolic of “the deeds on land, sea and in the air […] immortalized in the hearts of grateful people”; and a wreath, symbolic, in part of victories on the battlefield.
First Selectman Jayme Stevenson; Phil Kraft, a member of the Monuments and Ceremonies Commission; and state Rep. Terrie Wood were among those taking part in the ceremony in front of Town Hall.
First Selectman Jayme Stevenson read the 2016 presidential proclamation of Veterans Day. Here are excerpts:
America has long stood as a beacon of hope and opportunity, and few embody that spirit here at home and beyond our borders more than the members of our Armed Forces. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen are part of an unbroken chain of brave patriots who have served our country with honor and made tremendous sacrifices so that we may live free.
On Veterans Day, we salute the women and men who have proudly worn the uniform of the United States of America and the families who have served alongside them, and we affirm our sacred duty as citizens to express our enduring gratitude, both in words and in actions, for their service. […]
Let us uphold our obligations to these heroic individuals and never forget those who paid the ultimate price for our liberty. […]
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2016, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers, and by observing 2 minutes of silence for our Nation’s veterans. I call upon federal, state, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs. […]
Chapel Open on Veterans Day
Between 6 and 7 p.m., the Noroton Presbyterian Church Chapel will host H.E.R.O.E.S. Care/NPC to provide a time and space for private reflection, thanksgiving, and prayer for our nation.
All veterans and their loved ones, as well as residents of our town and neighboring communities, are cordially invited to stop in and enjoy the peaceful setting and quiet music. All are warmly welcomed.
For more information on the NPC Chapel event, please contact Evie Knight, H.E.R.O.E.S. Care Outpost Leader, Evie Knight at NPC 203-228-4228. (See the poster below.)
Posted at Darien Library