Cheektowaga Veterans Affairs Committee pays tribute to our veterans

The Cheektowaga Veterans Affairs Committee held a special ceremony Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11. Members of local veterans posts gathered outside of the All Veterans Monument, Cheektowaga Town Park to honor our past, present, and fallen soldiers. Many residents and town officials also attended the event to recognize the many sacrifices that our veterans make to ensure our freedom.

The Pine Hill Drum and Bugle Corps played patriotic music; as the drums banged, tears could be seen falling from the eyes of members of the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW, who know exactly what our veterans have had to endure.

Lt. Colonel Brenda Serena was an important guest speaker at the event as her inspiring words brought comfort to those who understand what being a soldier really means.

“Forty-eight million veterans have served since 1776. Whether serving in time of war, American vets all share a common bond; their unwavering beliefs in the cause of freedom, a belief so strong they were willing to give their life. Unfortunately nearly a million have made the ultimate sacrifice in combat or combat related events, its quite a bond,” said Serena.

Serena knows what it feels like to come back home for war, and have nobody understand what you’ve been through, except your fellow vets. She expressed how fellow veterans are not just your friends or co-workers; they are more like family.

Serena was alarmed when she marched in the Veterans Day Parade on Delaware Avenue and only saw less than 100 people in the crowd. She emphasized that people need to get out in the public and thank our veterans because they are our true heroes.

“We gave you the right to vote, we gave you the right to speak, we gave you the right to do whatever you want; it wasn’t anybody else, it was our sweat blood and tears that did it, and it’s one day a year. We need to make ourselves known that we are still the reason this country is the way it is,” she said.

At the end of the ceremony, Councilmember Jim Rogowski asked all veterans and family members of veterans to place a flag in front of the All Veterans Monument.