SHREWSBURY – Community members gathered in front of the former Maj. Howard W. Beal School to mark Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
“Veterans Day is a day to respect, honor and remember all of our service members – those who remain with us and those who have passed on,” said Sen. Michael Moore.
Moore said it takes a “certain type of person” to join the military.
“Someone whose love of their country drives them to protect the ideals of our nation both here at home and abroad; someone who is willing to put their life on the line in pursuit of freedom for themselves, for their family and for generations of people that they will never meet; someone who understands that only freedoms that we have are the freedoms we are willing to fight for,” said Moore.
Members of the military come from all backgrounds, he said.
“At the end of the day, who you are, what you look like or where you come from is not what makes you an American; what makes you an American is the love we hold for our fellow citizens and our collective pursuit for a better future and a future where everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, just as the founding fathers intended,” said Moore.
The ceremony featured performances of the military branch songs by the third-grade chorus at Walter J. Paton Elementary School and a laying of a wreath at the World War I memorial. In addition to Moore, the event included remarks from Select Board Chair John Samia.
Samia, who recalled the history of Veterans Day, noted that today, decades after the day began to be recognized, the community is bound by a common purpose.
“We’re here to honor and respect the service of the men and women among us who have served or currently serve our country to preserve freedom and democracy for all of us,” he said.
