The Message of the Day? Say Thank You

While Memorial Day is a day to remember the servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifce, Veterans Day is a time to say thank you, Bob Medlock, chaplain for the 21st Ward Veterans Association said.

"We can never, ever, ever forget the debt of gratitude to those men and women who are servicing," he said at a ceremony in Gorgas Park Friday. "They raised their hands and responded to their nation's call."

The troops, he continued, have served in thousands of nameless places and their numbers grow each day.

About 40 people braved the winter-like weather to honor veterans at the annual ceremony sponsored by the 21st Ward Veterans Associations.

The ceremony was marked by speeches, the laying of a wreath at the park's monument and a gun salute.

"Today I want to thank all those who served, some of them are on their second, third, fourth or even fifth deployment," Bruce Hoffman, of the 21st Ward Veterans Association, said. "Today go around and say thank you to a veteran."

We must always say thank you, Medlock said, "because we are judged by the way we treat those who stood up for us."

With the holiday season approaching, veteran support organizations such as Roxborough's Operation Bedding and the Northwest Veterans Association's Operation Phone are kicking off fundraisers.

Since its inception several years ago, Operation Phone Home has provided deployed military personnel with more than $36,000 worth of international phone cards and is kicking off a holiday drive that will send 700 care packages overseas. And, a representative from the organization said, most of its donations come from the Roxborough community.

"The veterans honored their end of the bargain by serving, now it's out turn to hold up out end," Hoffman said.