How Somerset County plans to honor nation's veterans on Veterans Day
SOMERSET ― Residents across Somerset County are honoring our nation's military veterans this week with school presentations and community celebrations taking place in recognition of Veterans Day on Saturday.
Many school districts across the county are treating local veterans to breakfast and special presentations to thank them for their service to our country.
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In Windber, second-grade students at the elementary school had breakfast Thursday with local veterans and sang some patriotic songs in their honor. The veterans from Windber VFW Post No. 4795 then gave a presentation to the students about who veterans are, what they did and how to show respect to the U.S. Flag.
This year's program was organized by the second-grade teachers at Windber Elementary School: Elyse Cameron, Nicole Ledney, Angie Rager, Megan Reitz, Cheryl Steinbeck, Katie Walker and Emma York.
Community Veterans Day observances
In addition to local school programs, community members in both Somerset and Cambria counties are planning parades and commemorative services to honor our region's living veterans.
Somerset
The annual Veterans Day observance takes place at 11 a.m. Saturday in Courtroom One of the Somerset County Courthouse. A musical prelude begins at 10:45 a.m., and the event also includes some patriotic readings and musical presentations.
This year's featured speaker is Army Sgt. Maj. Christopher J. Conti, of Somerset. Conti graduated from Plum Borough High School, near Pittsburgh, then served four years on active duty with the Army. In 1992, he enlisted with the Pennsylvania National Guard, where he still serves. In the National Guard, he served with C Company, 1-103rd Armor, eventually becoming tank commander and platoon sergeant.
Conti has served various military assignments at home and abroad, including Operation Desert Shield/Storm in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, in 1991; Talk Force Dirigo in Guatemala, 1994; Task Force Keystone in Germany, from 2002 to 2003 and Task Force Dragoon, Operation Iraqi Freedom III in Iraq, from 2004 to 2005.
He has received numerous military awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Achievement Medal.
Jerry Lyons is to be the master of ceremonies for the Veterans Day program, and musical performers are to include "A Touch of Brass" quartet, vocalist Danny Connor of Rockwood and the Somerset Senior High School Choral Ensemble, guest conducted by Angela Brumbaugh.
Public parking will be available Saturday behind the courthouse.
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Windber
The community's annual Veterans Day event will begin with a parade at 10 a.m. Parade participants are to assemble at 9:30 a.m. at the Windber American Legion Post No. 137 on 14th Street. The parade will then follow 14th Street to Jackson Avenue, Park Plaza to Graham Avenue and Jefferson Avenue to Veterans Park.
A Veterans Day program will be held at the conclusion of the parade, in Veterans Park. Gene Shaffer is to be master of ceremonies, and members of the Windber Veterans Association, the Windber Area High School Band, Windber American Legion Post No.137 and Windber VFW Post No. 4795 ritual team are to participate in the program.
The guest speaker is retired Air Force Col. Douglas R. Lengenfelder, of Johnstown, who is the executive director of the Challenger Learning Center in Indiana and works for state Sen. Cris E. Dush. Previously, Lengenfelder served as chairman of the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors, taught at Penn Highlands Community College and was a Cambria County Commissioner.
In his military career, Lengenfelder had over 3,500 hours of flight time as a Special Operations pilot and as an instructor pilot. He was also the special military advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to NATO and served as a commander for 12 of the last 14 years he served in the military.
The Windber American Legion will host a breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday for veterans, family members and Veterans Day program participants. At the conclusion of the Veterans Day service, the Windber VFW Auxiliary will host a luncheon for Windber veterans, family members and Veterans Day service participants.
In the event of inclement weather, the Veterans Day service will be held at 10 a.m. in the Windber American Legion building on 14th Street. The day's events are sponsored by the Windber Veterans Association, which is made up of members of the Windber American Legion Post No. 137, the Windber VFW Post No. 4795, the World War II 50th Anniversary Commemorative Committee and the Windber Veterans Park committee.
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Johnstown
The annual Veterans Day parade along Main Street in downtown Johnstown will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday. This year's parade theme is the 70-year anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War.
At the conclusion of the parade, a Veterans Day service will be held in the gazebo at Central Park, with Robert Symon, a retired Army and Korean War veteran, as the guest speaker. The parade and program are sponsored by the Conemaugh Valley Veterans.
This year's Veterans Day observance in Johnstown has also been selected as an official Veterans Day Regional Site by the Veterans Day National Committee.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County remembers nation's veterans on Saturday, Veterans Day
