City of Lake Charles honor Veterans in celebration Service
Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - Inclement weather Thursday morning did not stop the city’s Veterans Day Ceremony— in fact, it came along with an important reminder.
“How many veterans who were at Iwo Jima, how many veterans were in Vietnam and did not have the luxury of going inside to get out of the elements to not get their boots muddy or not have that rainfall down upon them for hours,” said Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter. “So as we come inside to enjoy this event today, it’s a good reminder, the millions of veterans throughout this country’s history who never had that luxury.”
Over at the Civic Center, veterans filled the seats as they were honored at Thursday’s celebration service.
“You know, it’s an old cliche but Freedom isn’t free,” said Lake Charles Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission president, Charles Dalgleish. “And these people are veterans, our fellow veterans have been the ones that have been willing to step forward and go in harm’s way to provide the freedom that we have today.”
Dalgleish reminds us how important it is to honor our veterans.
“People lose track of the fact that every single veteran signs a contract with a blank check to the government and the people of America that can be cashed at any time,” he said. “And that contract can be for the ultimate sacrifice. So we need to recognize every veteran.”
During the celebration, Alfred Cochran, a veteran and a member of the Lake Charles Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission, laid a wreath for veterans.
“Anything that we can do to honor veterans on this day is very appropriate, and fitting for what we’re doing,” he said.
I did catch up with Cochran before the ceremony and asked how it felt to be honored as a veteran.
“Just their presence coming out today is awesome to us veterans, to honor us,” he said.
Nic Hunter says he encourages every parent and guardian to educate their kids on what veterans mean to the community and the sacrifices they have made.
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