Visitors Gather for a Salute to America's Veterans

In honor of Veterans Day, a salute to America's veterans was held on Saturday, Nov. 9 to "honor the veterans of yesterday and today," as event coordinators described it. Families of veterans filled Montecito Memorial Park in Colton that morning with pride and patriotic spirit. As is done every year, Visiting Angels, an organization that provides living assistance services, hosted the salute with sponsorship from Dignity Memorial and VITAS Innovative Hospice Care. The salute is put on annually to commemorate the American veterans that with pride and courage risked their lives and fought for America. After a warm welcome was given by Jamie Kidwell from VITAS Hospice, there was the posting of colors by the Grand Terrace Cub Scouts Pack 242 and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Colton's Mayor Pro Tem David Toro. Attendance was upwards of 1,000, memorial park staff members observed. It was a time to remember those veterans currently living or deceased. The patriotic mood was definite once Mary Lou Marquez from the Community Liaison Green Acres Memorial Park led the crowd in the National Anthem. Honorary Veteran Awards were then given by Sarah Hector, Director of Visiting Angels, to the two honorary veterans of the year: PFC Albert Gonzales (U.S. Army 821st Battalion, WWII) and PFC Raymond Gomez (U.S. Army 29th Infantry, WWII). "It was a privilege to honor the two gentlemen, Albert and Raymond," said Toro. "It's a privilege to honor ... veterans, and I'm also proud to be a veteran myself." "It's important that we honor those veterans who have done what many are not willing do," Gail Johnson, Montecito Memorial Park staff member, said. "They risked their lives not only for us but for the love they had for our country." The Colton Ladies Auxiliary Post 6476 performed the placing of the wreath. The 21 Gun Salute was performed by the Colton VFW Post 6476 followed by Taps and a moment of silence led by Sarah Hector. "The unison felt at that moment was amazing," Jeremy Villa, service director at Montecito Memorial Park, proclaimed. Elvira Rivera, a spectator at the event and mother of a former female U.S. Army soldier said, "Even though my daughter is not currently serving and left the Army to start a family, I attend this salute every Veterans Day weekend as a way of (paying) respect for all those families suffering the loss of brave, courageous souls. Fortunately I still have my daughter with me. I wouldn't know what to do if she had left." The Montecito Memorial Park awaits with anticipation the salute to America's veterans hosted by Visiting Angels every year. As Villa puts it, they rejoice in the fact that with this salute, they pay their respects to all those families of lost veterans. Villa has worked at Montecito Memorial Park for years and helped set up for the event. "I receive comfort working here, as I am able to provide a service to many veteran families and provide them the comfort that those families need."