Helping hands, hearts invest in Vets Day Ceremony

The annual Veterans Day Ceremony brings together volunteers from a number of groups – from scouts to high school organizations to working adults to retirees – all under the direction of the Veterans Day Committee – which itself is made up of community volunteers.

All of these people come together with one goal in mind: to make veterans feel honored and appreciated for their military service on behalf of the United States of America.

This year’s youngest volunteers were the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts who handed out flags and the Girl Scouts who handed out programs.

Next were the Temescal Canyon High School Drum Corps, under the direction of Mike Donahue, which performed before and after the program, and the Elsinore High School Flying Tigers Junior ROTC, under the leadership of Major Charles Ruhl, as they presented the colors and posted the American flag on the flag pole at the Veterans Memorial. The Jr. ROTC also assisted with the rose ceremony and the wreath-laying ceremony.

At the ceremony, veterans were invited to register for a free drawing to win a Quilt of Valor sewn by a group of quilters at the Senior Center called the Quilters Dozen.

Coming in on their day off to provide coffee and pastries from the Canyon Lake Property Owners Association were POA staff members Lynn Jensen, Carrie Pratt and Val Grillo. Staff from Operations helped with the setup and teardown of tables, chairs and awnings.

Eagle Scout Jasen Williams II, Troop 8713 led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the Canyon Lake Choraleers singing the National Anthem. Pastor Kasey Crawford of Elevation Church offered the invocation.

During the ceremony, City Councilwoman Vicki Warren, chair of the Veterans Day Committee, took time to name each of the groups and volunteers who helped make the day special. Veterans Day Committee member and volunteer photographer Bert Barbay took the pictures seen with this week’s Veterans Day articles.

The 2015 Veterans Day Committee volunteers are Nancy Horton, Debby Gagnon, Karen Bevans, Fran Tibbet, Donna Ritchie, Paula Lynch, Ann Nickel, Sue Popper, Harry Larson, Jill Batinich, LaRue McNamara, Donna Lovejoy, Bert Barbay and Karen Martin.

A group of Canyon Lake friends known as Ladies of the Lake prepared the flags that were placed in the yard of every veteran registered with the City of Canyon Lake. Those who delivered to the flags to each home were Donna Nunes, Barry Talbot, Harry Larson

Nancy Horto, Dave Harrigan, Debby Gagnon, Karen Bevans, Jill Batinich, Bert Barbay

Kathy Barbay, Steve Hipsak, Paula Lynch, Frances Tibbet, Sue Popper, Walt Popper, LaRue McNamara, Michelle Gordon, Dawn Bora and Mark Bora.

Several individuals got together the weekend before Veterans Day to clean the Veterans Monument and place 200 flags in the Field of Honor. These included Karen Bevans, Fran Tibbet, Bert Barbay, Nancy Horton, Don Lynch, Paula Lynch, Susan French, Christina Taltoan, Steve Prince, Debby Gagnon and Donna Richie.

Sponsors of the program were:

Premium Sponsor David and Barbara Spraul

Premium Sponsor Canyon Lake Car Club

Premium Sponsor CR&R Environmental Services

Ted and Nancy Horton

Canyon Lake Fine Arts Guild

Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce

Canyon Lake Chair Volleyball

Jack Wamsley

Warren Kelsey

Canyon Lake Tennis Club

Mike Shroyer and Good Time Entertainment

Canyon Lake Home Owners Club

Canyon Lake Choraleers

With many businesses still operating and many attendees at the ceremony, parking was tight in the Towne Center, so a golf cart crew provided shuttle service: Ted Horton, Barry Talbot, Travis Montgomery and John DeYoung.

Rod Gill of Rod Gill Masonry maintains the commemorative bricks. Rightway Site Services provided equipment for the ceremony.