Veterans Day crowd
honors those who served
Page 4 • Wednesday, November 18, 2015 • The Hammonton Gazette
VeteRaNs, from Page 1
Councilman thomas Gribbin
addressed the audience and spoke
of the strides the town has made in
helping local veterans in the past
year.
“i had the privilege of delivering last year’s address from the
town, where i called for more
community engagement regarding
our veterans. i’m happy to say that
since that time town council has
established the Veterans affairs
advisory Committee led by former councilman Dan Bachalis and
representatives from the DaV
[Disabled american Veterans],
VfW [Veterans of foreign Wars]
and american Legion,” Gribbin
reflected.
He went on to discuss the mission and accomplishments of the
newly-formed committee.
“this committee was created to
give veterans in our community a
voice to have their issues heard by
the town and to also look into the
possibility of establishing an ongoing Va [Veterans affairs] presence in our area. it is an important
committee which has already
achieved some of its goals,” Gribbin stated.
Gribbin made a call to action for
the country to support the nation’s
veterans, as well as their families,
a notion he said is engrained in the
nation’s history.
“Our town is working to do its
part for our veterans, but our
country must continue to embrace
our veterans and provide for them
and their families with the services, opportunities and benefits
that they deserve, that they have
earned. it is the core belief woven
into the fabric of this nation,”
Gribbin said.
He cited the nation’s first president and encouraged those in attendance to hold elected officials
accountable for fulfilling the
promises made to veterans.
“Our first president, George
Washington, was also a veteran. in
1783, in rocky Hill, N.J., less
than 60 miles from this auditorium, General Washington bid
farewell to the Continental army.
During his speech, he asked ‘Shall
not the brave men who have contributed so essentially to those inestimable acquisitions, retiring
victories from the field of war to
the field of agriculture, participate
in all the blessings which have
been obtained?’ … By choosing to
attend this Veterans Day ceremony, you have demonstrated that
you believe in fulfilling those
promises, and we owe it to our
veterans to make sure that our
elected leaders never forget those
promises and never waiver in their
fulfillment,” Gribbin said.
atlantic County fifth District
freeholder James Bertino also
spoke at the event, highlighting
the immeasurable sacrifices veterans have made in the name of
freedom.
“We gather this evening to
honor the men and women who
have worn this nation’s uniform,
more impo 'F