Veterans Day Celebrated in Wayne County
By: Eric Deabill
Updated: November 12, 2012
Dreher Township, Wayne County - There was a large turnout Monday morning for an annual Veterans Day program in one part of Wayne County.
Dozens of people gathered at Carlton Drake Memorial Park in Dreher Township. That is where the Phillips-Zacharias-Phillips American Legion Post 859 held its 15th annual program.
With a number of patriotic songs, the Wallenpaupack Area High School band helped lead the service. With the nice weather outside, a large crowd turned out.
"You know, to look around a little tiny town, it's USA," commander Jack Sparks said. "That's where it starts from our little kids on up."
From TAPS to songs, the ceremony had everything you would expect in a program, including a rifle salute.
Veterans in the crowd say the program was a fitting way to honor our military members. One veteran also says he hopes it inspires our nations leaders.
"We shouldn't be democrats or republicans, we should be Americans," veteran Joseph Pineiro said. "Congress itself should think American, not party."
What sets this program apart is that it featured students from the Wallenpaupack Elementary School who wrote essays on Veterans Day and its importance to them as Americans.
"I wrote how I'm proud to be an American and I just wrote how I'm thankful we have the people that we have," 4th grader Makenna Peet said.
"I think I'm very lucky to be an American and a lot of people don't have the rights that Americans do," 5th grader Taleightha Lester said.
