Southbury Salutes its Veterans

Getting Ready for Memorial Day Parade. Everything is set for the parade thanks to the Memorial Day Parade Committee lead by Mary Korsu, said Ed Edelsen, Southbury’s First Selectman on his Facebook page.

“On May 8th I had a chance to address Southbury Veterans at the unveiling of the Wall of Honor at the Senior Center. Below are my prepared remarks for that event. The same sentiment would apply to the the Parade:

“I am honored to welcome everyone today to the Southbury Senior Center for such an important occasion. I would like to personally thank our area dignitaries who have made the time to be here with us today.

We are here today to honor our service men and women in the Town of Southbury and to remember the sacrifices they have made in order for us to have our freedom.

We have come together on this day to honor our heroes, to remember their achievements, their courage and their dedication, and to say thank you for their sacrifices.

The service members we honor today come from all walks of life, but they share several fundamental qualities. They possess courage, pride, determination, selflessness, dedication to duty and integrity. All qualities needed to serve a cause larger than one’s self. They carry those traits with them, even today, as integral citizens of the Southbury community.

Many of our veterans volunteered to leave their homes and families to fight on distant battlefields. They did not go to war because they loved fighting. They were called to be part of something bigger themselves. They were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways during tumultuous times. They rose to the nation’s call because they wanted to protect a nation which has given them, and us, so much. They served our country because they were proud and selfless, and above all, patriotic Americans!

Millions of Americans have fought and died on battlefields here and abroad to defend our freedoms and our way of life. Today our troops continue to make the ultimate sacrifices, and even as we lose troops, more Americans step forward to say, I am ready to serve! They follow in the footsteps of generations of fine Americans. They follow in the footsteps of the very Veterans who are seated with us here today.

It is fitting that we are having this ceremony as Memorial Day approaches in 3 weeks on Monday, May 25th.

To Our Veterans:

Thank you for answering the call of duty. You have made our armed forces the most respected in the world. Each and every one of us thanks you from the bottom of our hearts today for your perseverance, dedication and loyalty to our country.

Our gathering is just one small speak in the flame of pride that burns across the nation every day. It may not be much, but it is one small way we can honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may all live in freedom. Your presence here today is a tribute to all who served, to the troops we have lost and to their families. It is a way to say “We Remember”. From the soldiers who shivered and starved through the winter at Valley Forge to the servicemen crouched in the muddy trenches in France, those who helped protect the 38th Parallel in Korea to the platoon who patrolled the hazy jungles of Vietnam. We also remember the men and women right now patrolling the mountains of Afghanistan. We remember and honor them all.

Let our Wall of Honor serve as a constant reminder of the service and sacrifice of our veterans- past, present and future. We who carry on have not forgotten. God bless you and your families, God bless our troops and God bless America.”