Chilly weather, gray skies, and poor air quality from county wildfires did not stop Walden residents and officials from celebrating veterans during the village’s 14th Annual Veterans Day Brick Dedication, a time to remember and cherish these individuals and their sacrifices to the nation.

The ceremony began with a color guard presentation comprising several local veteran posts, the Pledge of Allegiance led by Boy Scouts of America, the National Anthem played by the Valley Central High School Pep Band, and an opening prayer from Pastor Rick Bruschi of Freedom Road Bible Church. This year’s master of ceremonies was Jim Grismer, a retired FDNY captain, who welcomed everyone to the dedication and introduced the speakers throughout the afternoon.

“Today, we honor the men and women of the United States Armed Forces for their service and sacrifice. Generations of American service members have courageously secured and maintained our freedom, beginning with the Continental Army in 1776,” Grismer said. “Originally, Veterans Day was called Armistice Day, going back to World War I. It was conceived as a tribute to the Armed Forces members who sacrificed their lives in WWI and was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.”

Steve Neuhaus, Orange County Executive, and Mike Anagnostakis, OC District 17 Legislator, discussed the impact of U.S. veterans and active duty personnel, emphasizing the sacrifices they make to uphold freedoms in not only America but the entire world.

“At the end of the day, when something goes south around the world or someone needs help, whether it’s a humanitarian crisis or a war, they don’t call Moscow, they don’t call Beijing, they don’t call these other countries,” Neuhaus said. “They call us, and the men and women that wear the uniform step up, represent us, and make us proud.”

“I think we should be celebrating veterans every single day of the year, doesn’t matter what day it is. We owe everything we have to veterans; all the freedoms we have and all this nation is due to the veterans,” Anagnostakis said, “Never have so many owed so much to so few in the history of this country. At any given time period, only 1% of the population has served in the military, and yet they’ve garnered everything that we have in this nation.”

William Sestrom, a U.S. Army veteran and charter board member of Hudson Valley Honor Flight, recounted his experiences with the latter organization, including its formation 14 years ago after he met the late co-founder, Steve Nicoli.

“In 2010, I got a visit from a young guy named Steve Nicoli. He walked in and asked me for 50 bucks; he wanted to get a bus, take World War II veterans to Washington DC, and show them their memorials. Before the first flight, it was a bus ride, and we had our first meeting at The Thayer Hotel in West Point,” Sestrom said. “To this date, we have taken over 3,000 veterans, probably around 3,200. I went on the last flight myself, and I can tell you it’s life-changing for all of us.”

Walden Trustee Becky Pearson listed the veterans who were added to Veteran Memorial Park’s brick dedication. These included U.S. Army Veterans Norbury “Skip” Chambers, Jason C. Fries, LeRoy Fries, Donald Little, John H. Manning, Douglas Luke Millsaps, Colonel John L. Roman, Carol S. Weeks, and Laurence L. Winum; U.S. Marine Corps Veterans James Francis Decker Jr., Charles Thomas Millsaps, Christine Harrington Millsaps, Robert Ossentjuk, and Jedediah Roman Winum; U.S. Navy Veteran Randy A. Noguera; and U.S. Air Force Veteran Jackson Winum.

Christopher Spencer, a Valley Central JROTC Army instructor and U.S. Army veteran, explained the significance of the poppy flower. Following World War I, poppies began sprouting all across Europe due to the abundance of lime from the wartime rubble, becoming a symbol of a soldier’s bravery, resilience, and sacrifice. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a late Canadian poet and physician, popularized the poppy’s symbolism in his 1915 poem “Flanders Fields.”

The ceremony concluded with a closing benediction from Reverend Nicole Hanley of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, followed by group photos and refreshments. The celebrations continued into the afternoon at St. Andrew’s with a chili lunch, where church members discussed veterans’ mental health and the post-service struggles they go through. Nathan Parker, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, explained that many veterans who lack social support experience feelings of shame, a major component in veteran suicide rates, and he emphasized that communities need to show their support for their veterans.

“You experience shame, and you’ve demonstrated that to the group. The group says ‘No, it’s okay, you’re forgiven,’ and you’re welcomed back into the group. Usually, there’s some sort of informal ceremony around that or something that makes you feel welcome again, and the feeling of shame goes away,” Parker said. “What happens when you’re not welcomed back to the group? The shame becomes internalized, you sit with it, and you stew with it again and again over a long period of time, and that’s what leads to suicidality.”

Arthur Lee, a fellow Marine Corps veteran, presented the Missing Man Table, a display adorned with several items in remembrance of veterans who never returned home to their families. These individuals are known as POWs, prisoners of war, or MIAs, missing in action.

“Each item on this Missing Man and Woman Table represents the emotions and feelings reserved for those who have not come home,” Lee said. “The chair is empty, the seat remains unclaimed at the table. That is a lot to take in and for us not to forget. But that’s the reason why we have this table so that we don’t forget those who sacrificed.”