NEWS
HONORING ALL WHO SERVED - Veterans Day Assembly at Windham-Ashland-Jewett
Windham-Ashland-Jewett student council hosted the school’s annual Veterans Day Assembly, this week, honoring all who have served their country. Among those taking part were (left to right) Gretchen Veverka, Haley Eilenberger, Olivia Storms, Gianna Garzone, Hailey Dolan, Lada Svechnikova, Kylie Jordan, Sofia Hoshenko and Leo Klein. “On the 11th hour of the 11th month in 1918, an armistice between Germany and the Allied forces was declared,” said speaker Olivia Storms. “This armistice ended World War I. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first Commemoration Day,” twenty years later becoming a federal holiday.
Veterans were the guests of honor including (left to right) Jason Gardinier (VFW Post $1545 quartermaster), Jim McLaren (VFW trustee and former Post chaplain), Marc Farmilette (VFW Post #1545 commander), James Scarey (VFW Post #1545 senior vice-commander), James Varelas, (VFW Post #1545 former chaplain), Michael Blass (VFW Post #1545 trustee), Doris Libby (Air Force senior master sergeant), Heather Ray (U.S. Army) and George Greiner (American Legion Post 187, Athens, quartermaster).
Honoring all who served, veterans salute their compatriots during the singing of the National Anthem led by (immediate foreground) James Scarey (a Viet Nam War veteran, the senior vice-commander of VFW Post #1545 and a town of Windham police officer) and Marc Farmilette (VFW Post #1545 commander).
“Thank you veterans” say Windham-Ashland-Jewett elementary grade students (left to right) Bayley Krom, Riley Moore and Sophie Szymanski.
“Marching for our veterans,” performed (singing and dancing) by Windham-Ashland-Jewett first and second graders.