Rhode and Odell speak to more than 250 who attended
TOWN OF KENT – Scores of veterans and their families gathered at the Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park in Kent on Sunday to celebrate Loyalty Day – a day set aside to remember all veterans – those currently serving as well as those who have donned battle gear in the past.
The park resembled a sea of red, white and blue since many of the more than 250 in attendance carried American flags.
Under overcast skies retired Brigadier General and Putnam Sheriff Donald Smith called the day “important in order to remind our children and all residents how fortunate we to be living in such a great country. We owe our freedoms to the sacrifices made by our veterans. We must never forget and can never take our freedoms for granted. We need peace through strength.”
County Executive MaryEllen Odell told the gathering that Putnam County had a “proud tradition of belief in liberty, equality and justice values defended by our troops over the course of generations. People of Putnam County are inspired by their servicemen and servicewomen. You are our heroes and represent what we search for to teach our children about heroism and patriotism.”
Karl Rohde, former New York State and Putnam County VFW commander, who currently serves as Putnam’s director of Veterans Affairs, called Loyalty Day a “building block of patriotism.”
An MIA-POW ceremony was also held at the park to commemorate the 83,000 MIA’s and POW’s unaccounted for today.
