American Legion is 100: Ridgefield Honors Veterans in Word, Song, Prayer

Veterans Day 2019 marks the 100th anniversary the American Legion and today, American Legion Post 78, formed 99 years ago, together with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Marine Corps League Detachment held a beautiful ceremony at Veterans Memorial Garden to honor not only Ridgefield’s veterans but, all of America’s 21,700,000 veterans.

Thank you to American Post 78 commander, George Besse for your hard work in putting together today's patriotic ceremony that honored ordinary people who did extraordinary things for all of us, and for our country.

The musical voice of the American Legion Post 78, Ridgefield High School junior Evelyn Carr opened the ceremony by singing the National Anthem.

After thanking veterans and asking them to stand to be recognized, First Selectman Rudy Marconi spoke of the increased number of veterans who live below the poverty level. "What will we do tomorrow and the days, weeks, and months to come to honor our veterans? I ask this because our veterans need our help," said Marconi who added, "In 2018, the poverty status of veterans was reported as follows: ages 18 to 34, 231,000, ages 35 to 54, 252,000, ages 55 to 64, over 300,000 and 65 and older, close to 500,000. That's not right for America." Marconi, committed to helping local veterans who are struggling, asked anyone interested in joining him on his mission. to contact his office selectman@ridgefieldct.org.

The featured speaker was Stamford native, now a resident of Ridgefield, former Army veteran Raymond Sementini who spoke about being drafted into the Army in 1963 and assigned to the 54th Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Engineering Battalion in Germany during the Cold War. Sementini's responsibilities included building bridges across the Rhine River and occupying a former Nazi Strom & SS Troopers post and bunker facility. 

The ceremony came to a close with Cub Scout Pack 74 laying the wreath on the memorial monument followed by Military Honors with playing of taps.

Thank you to American Legion together, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Marine Corps League Detachment and Evelyn Carr, who, in addition to singing the National Anthem, filled us with American pride by singing America the Beautiful and God Bless America

R
Submitted by Ridgefield, CT

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