American Legion Post 927 in Gilbert celebrated Veterans Day with a brief ceremony on Wednesday morning.

Due to the light drizzle, the event was held indoors with safety precautions in place. Capacity was capped at 60 attendees, chairs were spaced apart and everyone remained masked unless they were at the podium.

At 11 a.m., the bell sounded and the chaplain led a prayer. A chair was draped with the black Prisoner of War/Missing in Action cover to symbolize the empty chair of those missing soldiers.

Then, Post 927 Commander Danny Insalata began his remarks to the 56 people in attendance.

“During the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the armistice was signed” that ended World War 1 in 1918, he said.

In the U.S., Nov. 11 was first commemorated as Armistice Day in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson. In 1926, Congress passed a resolution making it an annual observance, and it became Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.

“Remember our heroes. Remember what they did,” he said.

Many were young when they joined the military. They went off to war, leaving behind their families and opportunities close to home. They fought for our freedoms, and some paid the ultimate price, he said. They didn’t get to come home, grow up and face old age.

“The price of freedom at times has been high,” he said.

Insalata spoke of the soldiers who fought in the deserts of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, as well as the soldiers who fought in the rice paddies of Vietnam. He spoke of brave soldiers who found and killed Osama bin Laden.

“God bless this post and everyone who serves,” he said to end his remarks.

Post 927 Vice Commander John DeFazio then led the five-member Honor Guard and bugler Jim Greer outside.

The five men fired three volleys.

“It represents honor, duty and country. We do this at funerals, on Veterans Day and other national holidays,” DeFazio said.

Greer stood at the top of the ramp near the doorway and played the bugle after the shots were fired.

After the ceremony, attendees were invited to a luncheon.

“Veterans Day to me means serving my country, making friends and I don’t regret a moment of it. If I could serve again, I would,” said Aleida Sharp, president of the Ladies Auxiliary at Post 927.

She served in the Army. She did basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama, Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon in Georgia, was stationed in Germany for three years and was stationed at Fort Hood in Texas for her remaining three years. While in Germany, she met her husband.

Holiday events

Due to the pandemic, the Legion is unable to host its annual community Thanksgiving dinner and its Christmas event.

“We wish we could do our normal events, but instead we will host food drives to make sure Valor House, nursing homes, and others in the community get what they need,” said Insalata.

American Legion Post 927 volunteers will be at Kinsley’s ShopRite in Brodheadsville on Nov. 21 to “Pack the Mack” with nonperishable food items, toiletries and hygiene items, and miscellaneous items such as sewing kits and word game books.

They will collect items from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will be there supporting Operation: Touch of Home, a volunteer nonprofit organization in Monroe County that supports our local troops who are overseas.

The American Legion Post 927 will hold a food drive Nov. 14-22 for canned goods and dry goods that will stay in the local area for families’ Thanksgiving meals. These items may be dropped off in the collection box.

Items requested include canned sweet potatoes, boxes of stuffing mix, gravy, canned vegetables, instant macaroni and cheese, jars of applesauce and instant potatoes.

Turkeys may be donated. Do not put them in the box outside the door. Make sure to give them to someone, so that the turkey can be put in the freezer until it goes to the area food bank.