The Veterans Day Celebration in Castle Rock not only honored the veterans of Douglas County but contained historical importance to military veterans and members. It marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I and the Marine Corps’ 234th birthday.
The Nov. 10 ceremony’s crowd was full of previous military members, including World War II veterans Lou Zoghby, Ross Sparks, and Stan Nicholson.
“I know that veterans have given us our freedom. They’ve given us our security. They have given us the greatest nation on Earth, and that has a price tag to it that none of us can even imagine what it costs,” Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas said.
The ceremony began with a prayer led by Deacon Tom Liotta of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, an Army veteran.
“Each of us who served took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic,” Liotta said. “This pledge did not expire upon the completion of our military service.”
Randy Reed, a board member of the Douglas County Veterans Monument Foundation, read a message from Congressman Ken Buck:
“Our veterans deserve so much more than we can give them. Setting aside one day, Veterans Day, in their honor is a good start. Our debt to them can never be fully repaid.’”
The best way, Reed said, is “to honor the sacrifices of our veterans is to live lives that honor the values for which they fought … a sense of service to the community, standing up for freedom, living humbly, being a good listener and being thoughtfully engaged in the public sphere.”
The ceremony reminded those in attendance that many veterans paid the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the United States.
“I believe that veterans are special people,” Thomas said. “They’ve had had an impact on our lives, and they have shaped who we are… We honor our veterans. We remember our veterans. And we appreciate them.”