Veterans Day Ceremony Honors Service Amid Snow
On November 11, community members, including many veterans, gathered at the snow-covered Chardon Square gazebo for the annual Veterans Day ceremony. The event was hosted by Chardon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6519 and Chardon American Legion Post 167 despite the snowy weather.
“Veterans Day is a day to thank those who served this beautiful country,” said Michele Pemberton, Geauga County Veterans Services director, who welcomed veterans with hot coffee and donuts before the ceremony. “The community comes out to support, regardless of the weather. I remember giving the Veterans Day speech early on in my career. It was snowing and I couldn’t feel my hands to turn the pages or my lips as I spoke. Yet, there was a crowd of veterans and civilians standing shoulder to shoulder. As soldiers, we are trained to adapt to weather and our surroundings, so we ‘suck it up and accomplish the mission.’”
Steve Oluic, the ceremony's Master of Ceremonies and Chardon VFW quartermaster, shared his background with the Army ROTC during his years at Case Western Reserve University. After graduating, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army. Now in his 19th year of service, Mr. Oluic was assigned to serve as an assistant professor of geography at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and later became the assistant dean of strategy and policy.
Summary
The Veterans Day ceremony in Chardon brought the community together in snowy conditions to honor service members, reflecting resilience and dedication among veterans and supporters alike.