Families, friends, and loved ones gathered at Lindsay City Hall on Tuesday for a ceremony for the unveiling of its Military Banner commemorating veterans, their families and service in the military.
Assemblyman Devon Mathis was present and a representative from State Senator Melissa Hurtado’s office, and they presented Certificates to the City of Lindsay honoring the 77 veterans and their families who have military banners.
Lindsay Public Safety Chief Rick Carrillo was master of ceremonies and welcomed the large crowd of hundreds of people to the Military Banner Ceremony honoring Lindsay veterans and their families.
As Carrillo began to speak it started to rain, and continued raining, while everyone tried to stay dry, standing under the large tents, and huddling under umbrellas. The videographer, and other photographers, had umbrellas held over them by helpful members of the audience.
Carrillo thanked everyone for turning out to the ceremony, and said the weather was even more amazing. He asked everyone to acknowledge City Manager Joe Tanner, and said without him all of this would not have happened.
“Good evening everyone,” said Tanner. “This is a proud day and an honor for me. The first thing I’d like to do is acknowledge the dignitaries here. Our City Council, Supervisor Larry Micari, Representatives from Senator Hurtado’s office, Assemblyman Mathis office, and the Lindsay Unified School Board.
“Today we come together to recognize and express our profound gratitude for Lindsay veterans and their families. We honor those men and women not only for their service but their sacrifice. Their sacrifice for a higher purpose, greater than any individual for our freedom. We recognize for people to remain free, have freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom to assemble like we do today, and the freedom to provide for our families’ well being, these men and women have had to sacrifice, some of them the ultimate sacrifice.
“We are able to come home from work, because they went far away to serve, some in the U.S, some on the battlefields of Europe, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and other places around the world.
“They missed so many things that make life special because of their duty to serve. The responsibility to take charge and preserve our freedoms.
“I am proud that the City of Lindsay stands with our Veterans and acknowledges our hometown heroes.
“For that I am grateful and humble, so on behalf of the City of Lindsay, we thank you.”
As it continued to rain, Public Safety Lieutenant Nicholas Nave led the pledge of allegiance, and Lindsay’s new Public Safety Chaplain Adam Perez gave an invocation.
“This is such a special event,” said Perez, “and I’m grateful to be the Chaplain not just for the PD, but also the City. If you see me around town, please say hi. I’m here for everyone, not just the people who need prayer, or need direction. I know I’m young, and I don’t have all the answers, but I know who does.”
Perez acknowledged all the Veterans in the large crowd, and asked them to raise their hands, and thanked them for their service in the past, or present, to huge applause.
In the speech he prepared he recognized a veteran, a family, a call, a sacrifice, all together at the same time. He spoke further about places where peace, joy, and love cannot be found, and the unknown, which happens when families have service members in the military.
And not knowing what is going to happen next is the greatest pain, and that happens to people in the military every day, and to their family members at home, he said.
Perez thanked all Veterans and their family members and said their sacrifices do not go unnoticed.
Carrillo acknowledged all the hard work the Banner committee went through and that it has been months in the working. He thanked Virginia Loya, and Vanessa Duran for the banners created.
He said Matt Salinas did a great job printing the 77 banners and they are incredible looking. And they are hung beautifully throughout Lindsay, Carrillo said. They are clear and bright and easy to see from a long distance, he said.
The new Lindsay City Bell was rung by City employees Nayla Amezcua and Vanessa Duran.
City employees Mari Carrillo and Francesca Quintana read the names of the 77 Veterans honored in the ceremony.
Mathis spoke about the ceremony for the veterans and their families saying they wouldn’t be forgotten, and the Military Banner Program has helped put Lindsay on the map, and everyone should be proud. And everyone has respect for that service, for putting everything on the line, so everyone at home can go out and vote.
Jaclyn Garcia, wife of active duty Veteran USMC Carlos Garcia, said she was really grateful the City made it a priority to honor Veterans.
Loya graciously thanked the City of Lindsay, and said it was a great opportunity to have the Veterans Banners displayed throughout the City.
The family of Veterans James and Jay Martin said the ceremony was magnificent and the city did a marvelous job and to honor so many veterans and their families was wonderful.
