Veterans Day ceremony a success

<span>The Chester Veterans Day Celebration was an exceptional event and very well-attended with several variations to the usual program.</span>

<span>"They told me I could make a few adjustments to the program this year and nobody else cared to give me any major input, so I went to work," said Jeff Warhausen, American Legion Post 480 commander.</span>

<span>Warhausen started working on the program,after the Memorial Day and worked with Chester High School Band and Choral Director Steve Colonel on music selections.</span>

<span>VFW Commander Rick Harrington was also helpful in helping to coordinate the program, which was hosted by Chester Kaskaskia VFW Post 3553.</span>

<span>Veteran's Day has a very interesting history. The following excerpt was printed on the inside page of the Veteran's Day program:</span>

<span>"World War I ended on June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The actual fighting between the Allies and Germany, however, had ended seven months earlier with the Armistice.</span>

<span>"This document went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.</span>

<span>Armistice Day, as November 11 became known, officially, as a holiday in the United States in 1926. Then 12 years later it became a National Holiday.</span>

<span>"On June 1, 1954, the name of this holiday was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. Veterans."</span>

<span>This event is co-organized each year by both the American Legion Post 487 and the VFW. The event rotates between the Legion and the VFW.</span>

<span>"In these crazy days, I cannot say thank you just today, but every day," said Chester Mayor Tom Page, who also spoke at the event. "We live in a world that should scream thanks to our past and current Veterans."</span>

<span>A new twist musically this year was the addition of the Chester High School Swing Choir "Sound Affect," which sung the national anthem.</span>

<span>Warhausen read a patriotic poem, after which the band performed "Armed Forces Medley."</span>

<span>This song features the theme songs for all of the United States Armed Forces branches. </span>

<span>Colonel directed past and current members of the various armed forces to stand and be recognized when their particular theme songs were being performed.</span>

<span>Once the applause and recognition of the veterans in attendance had subsided, Harrington introduced the Guest Speaker for the day in State Rep. Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton).</span>

<span>"I really take Veteran's Day seriously," Costello said. "It means a lot to me because I had a friend killed in Afghanistan.</span>

<span>"We need to think of not only about those who die in battle but about the families of those veterans who die in action and the stress it causes for them."</span>

<span>Costello then asked the question, "Why do young men and women sign the papers that state that they will leave our country and risk their lives to fight for us?</span>

<span>He then posed the following answers to his question: To protect our constitution; to make the extreme sacrifice for the citizens of our country; for patriotism and love of our country and for freedom and to protect our way of life.</span>

<span>"When ordered to go fight for their country or in volunteering to go overseas, our service men and women are willing to give their lives for us so that the next generation of our children will enjoy the freedoms that we have here in America today," Costello said.</span>

<span>Costello then encouraged the audience to thank the veterans and welcome them home when they do return home from deployments.</span>

<span>"We owe them a great debt of gratitude," he said. "We wouldn't have freedom without the veterans standing guard for the United States."</span>

<span>The CHS Swing Choir followed with "God Bless the USA." A combined VFW and American Legion Honor Guard then conducted the traditional "Salute to the Departed Veterans" with a military salute.</span>

<span>Chester High School trumpeters Mitchell Colonel and Zach Zappa played "Taps" to conclude the ceremony. Harrington also presented the "VFW Citizen of the Year Award" to Jimmy Simmons.</span>

<span>This award recognizes the individual who has served the community and specifically helped the veterans via his service to the VFW throughout the past year.</span>

<span>Simmon's family was with him to witness the presentation.</span>