By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — More than 200 people gathered in War Veterans Park in Olean for Veterans Day services Monday morning.
The Veterans Day services were moved from the traditional site in Lincoln Park to the Veterans Wall of Honor area in War Veterans Park due to construction.
Boy Scout Troops 621 and 617 led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Olean High School Band played the National Anthem to open the Veterans Day service.
In her invocation, the Rev. Kim Rossi of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church said, “Today, we gather to honor our veterans, worthy men and women who give their best as they are called upon to serve and protect this country. We pray that you will bless them for their unselfish service in the continual struggle to preserve our freedoms, our safety and our country’s heritage.”
Michael Muir, first vice commander of Olean American Legion Post 530 and Steve Calbi, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars took turns ringing a bell in front of the Wall of Honor 11 times, signifying the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — the time of the World War I Armistice.
State Sen. George Borrello noted that less than 1% of Americans enter the armed forces. As the son of a Vietnam veteran, Borrello said many veterans of Vietnam “did not get the welcome home they deserved.”
Borrello added: “Our veterans continue to make this a wonderful place and the greatest nation on Earth, and we are grateful, forever grateful for that. So m,any veterans survive combat, but come home to face depression (and) thoughts of suicide. Every day, 22 veterans take their own lives, he said. “We need to support them because they supported us.”
In his last Veterans Day speech, retiring Assemblyman Joseph Giglio said his father was a World War II veteran and his brother fought in Vietnam. “Every generation hopes this will be the last war that they have to fight. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached that peace yet.”
In his remarks, Mayor Bill Aiello said, “Thank you veterans. Today we are honoring your sacrifice, your grit and your service to our nation. We should be honoring you every day, not just today. You have protected us, fought for our values. In your quest for freedom you have made personal sacrifices and you have experienced loss.”
“We can stand in this beautiful park, on this beautiful memorial and peacefully assemble because generations of Americans from every background have answered the call to support the Constitution of the United States of America, Aiello concluded.”
Kathy Moore, the widow of Bill Moore, one of the group of residents who raised funds for the Olean Wall of Honor and helped maintain it, also spoke. The late Ann Padlo was the spark for the memorial.
Moore said her late husband was concerned over future maintenance of the memorial. While battling cancer caused by Agent Orange, Bill Moore made plans for an endowment fund through the Cattaraugus Region Foundation.
“At his passing, I made sure to fulfill his commitment. It is important that the Wall be preserved as a tribute to veterans,” Moore said. “It is also important to me that it also honors Bill’s dedication to it.”
She said memorial bricks to help pay for Wall of Honor maintenance can be ordered at Crandall’s Memorials and payment made to the Cattaraugus Region Foundation.
The Olean High School Chorus sang “God Bless America” and the Olean American Legion Honor Squad offered a 21-gun salute before a member of the high school band played “Taps” to end the ceremony.
Muir, who served as master of ceremony, said the Veterans Day Ceremony is expected to move to War Veterans Park on a permanent basis starting next year.
