Dedicated group honors soldiers on Veterans Day
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Russell Young plays Taps today at Butts Park in Medina while the Honor Guard stands at attention.
Young and the local veterans stopped at several war memorials in Medina for observances on Veterans Day. The group of about 15 veterans also stopped by Orchard Manor, a nursing home on Bates Road, for a service and to visit veterans there.
Click here to see a video of the veterans offering a prayer, a rifle salute and then the playing of Taps at Vets Park.
These veterans, including Steven Earle (third from left) of Lyndonville, do a rifle salute by the Korean War Memorial at Pine Street Park on Park Avenue. This is across from the Olde Pickle Factory. Employees at Baxter Healthcare who are veterans stepped outside the building to observe this tribute to veterans.
Dave Kusmierczak salutes while Taps is played by the Korean War Memorial. Kusmierczak began each stop by reading the Veterans’ Prayer.
“We thank theee for the privilege of life and the blessings we enjoy through thy graciousness in our country, the land in which we are given the freedom of speech, religion and the pursuit of happiness,” Kusmierczak read. “Assist us to know thee better and that thou art the God of the universe and our ideal.”
Mark Traxler carried the American flag at each of the stops by the veterans today. He is putting the flag away after the observance at Pine Street Park.
The veterans today started their ceremonies by the American Legion Post near the Glenwood Avenue canal bridge.
From there they went to the Company F Memorial in front of the YMCA, at the Butts-Clark Monument at Butts Park on South Main Street, the Korean War Memorial on Park Avenue, by the tank at Vets Park, by the cannon at State Street Park and by the monument at the VFW.
Veterans also did an observance at the Orchard Manor nursing home and visited with veterans there.
Veterans gather by the monument outside the Orleans County YMCA, which was originally used to train soldiers when the facility was the Medina Armory. The bronze statue of a soldier was dedicated in September.
Tony Vicknair puts his rifle away after the gun salute by the YMCA. The group then headed to its next stop at Butts Park. Steve Johnson is behind Vicknair.
The veterans in the honor guard take their places by a tank before the observance at Vets Park on West Oak Orchard Street .
This is the monument in front of the tank at Vets Park.
