Veteran’s Day programs were held in communities and schools throughout the Kankakee Valley area today. At Knox, Travis Flora, a United States Marine veteran spoke to the assembled students at the high school and middle school using the theme, “Freedom Isn’t Free.” Following the presentation, Flora told what Veteran’s Day means to him.
“Veteran’s Day is a time where we pause and reflect and thank those millions of people who have come before us and those millions of people who are currently serving and defending our way of life,” said Flora. “I would like those students to realize that within every veteran there’s a story and that they should ask those veterans their story. They may not hear what they want to hear but in the end, if they listen, they’ll have a better understanding of what a veteran is. When you see that sign outside of the VFW that reads ‘Freedom is not Free’, they should realize that our freedom has been bought and paid for by people who have signed their name on the dotted line and sacrificed.”
WW II Veteran, Joe Smrt, talked about his thoughts on Veteran’s Day.
“It’s honoring all those who have taken time from their busy lives to take care of their country’s needs and protect those who are left behind,” said Smrt. “All of the freedom we have is because of what the veterans are doing for us. Veterans come in many forms. We have firemen and policemen and teachers and people also and on a day like today, we think mostly of the military. People are serving in all parts of the world and in places we’ve never even heard of, but they’re willing to do this for their country. I wish more people would have a patriotic attitude such as that.”
Wherever you are, or whatever you do, give a thank you to a military veteran this weekend.
