Honoring Veterans and their Families for Serving
On Friday residents of Christ’s Home Senior Living, a continuing care community, gathered together for a brief Veterans Recognition Ceremony in early observance of Veterans Day today.
Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care’s Philadelphia Chaplain Christian Bennett began the program by asking attendees to take a moment to pause, to stop and to think about and thank fellow Americans who served in the United States Armed Forces.
Chaplain Bennett thanked Veterans for their “fight against injustice” and their dedication to making sure that “good reigned” in the world before sharing an opening prayer.
A brief history of Veterans Day followed. Originally known as Armistice Day dating back to 1919, President Dwight Eisenhower renamed it Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day always falls on November 11, no matter what day of the week it is.
Chaplain Bennett emphasized that, unlike Memorial Day which is for the fallen that did not return, Veterans Day is for those who served and came back, many of them very much alive and with us today like the Veterans at Christ’s Home.
60 Million Veterans in America
Six in 100 people in America are Veterans, 6.2 percent of the population, according to Chaplain Bennett. That’s more than 60 million Veterans. “They have wives, sisters, brothers, parents, children,” Chaplain Bennett said as a way of recognizing how much families also sacrifice and give when supporting those who serve us. He said 25 percent of all Americans have a connection to a Veteran.
The Pledge of Allegiance was said with gusto and with the accompaniment of a pianist flaunting a patriotic red, white and blue outfit, the “Star Spangled Banner” was sung. There was also a special anonymous poem for Veterans who served and returned.
Every Military Branch Represented
Handmade wooden plaques of each of the different branches of the military, made by a Christ’s Home resident, were presented to Veterans along with Crossroads certificates and pins of the Unites States flag.
Names were called alphabetically by division. The Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the Coast Guard and the National Guard were all represented. Spouses were also recognized.
Before a concluding poem and singing of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” the floor was opened for memory sharing. There was one World War II Veteran present. A widow who was honored for her husband’s service in the army mentioned that her father served in World War I. There were Korean and Vietnam War Veterans and attendees who traced their family’s service back to both the Civil and Revolutionary Wars.
It takes a Veteran or the family of a Veteran to understand the sacrifices that are made when one is drafted or voluntarily serves, Chaplain Bennett said in conclusion. “Each name that was read today has a family and a story.” On this Veterans Day 2024, we thank Veterans, and we honor them for all they have done to serve and protect America.
Learn more about Veterans' services here.
