New York American Legion 4th District Commander Gene Pierce addressed a crowd gathered in Shepard Park this afternoon for a Memorial Day ceremony. His speech emphasized not only the need to honor those who gave their lives in service but the importance of caring for those still serving and those who made it home.
“Most of our Congressmen and Senators never put up their hand (to take the oath) except to become politicians,” says Pierce, “so they do not realize the special circumstances that families of veterans and veterans go through. So, kindly thank a vet. These men and women volunteer to help give you the right to live in this country.”
Pierce looked out across the park and the lake, pointing to the beauty of the area and noting it once had been a battlefield. Wars fought in the region were vital to the birth the nation, Pierce explained. Today’s ceremony was about honoring those who gave their lives to create and defend the United States of America.
Pierce thanked the Blue Star and Gold Star families in attendance. “At one time,” says Pierce, “25 percent of this country had veterans in it. We are now down to 1 percent.” Pierce spoke about the hardships faced by the 1 percent and their families.
“Between my wife and I, we have 64 years of service in the United States service. But, the hardest job that I’ve had was when they sent my wife to Afghanistan for a year, and I was left at home raising a teenage daughter… I know what the Blue Star parents and families are going through. You dread that phone call. You dread the knock on the door. You never know what’s going to happen. So, I have to give the families a lot, a lot, of credit. Those are the people we are here to support.”
Pierce expressed frustration at what he sees as the government’s failure to properly take care of returning veterans. “Regardless of what you see on TV about how this government is taking care of these veterans when they come home, you do not believe it. You want to know what’s going on? You come to an American Legion post, and we’ll explain to you. The paperwork that these young men and women have to fill out to be entitled to benefits that they deserve will show you exactly what’s going on… The American Legion will take care of them, and we will make sure this government takes care of them.”
He concluded with a request: “As you are going about your weekend here in this beautiful area, I want you all here to do yourself a favor and do us a favor. Every day, for 30 seconds when you get up, just say thank you. Thank a veteran.”
Pierce’s address was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony and Honor Guard salute. A trumpeter with the Lake George Community Band played taps and the Lake George Junior/Senior High School Band and Community Band played “The Star-Spangled Banner” and Oh, Canada.” The ceremony closed with the Galloway Gaelic Pipes and Drums playing “Amazing Grace.”
The Lake George Memorial Day observance began with a parade hosted and led by the Lake George American Legion Post 374. The Lake George and North Queensbury Volunteer Fire Companies with Auxiliaries, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Daisies, The Lake George Community Band and the Galloway Gaelic Pipes and Drums all marched in the parade, which stepped off at 11:30 a.m. from Westbrook road, traveled along Beach Road and Canada Street, and ended in Shepard Park.
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