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Montoursville ceremony remembers sacrifices

D. EVERETT SMITH/Sun-Gazette Correspondent From left, PFC Don Hills, Lt. Terry Banfill, and Sgt. William Peck, of the Lock Haven Color Guard, are ready to present colors at Montoursville’s ceremony Saturday.

In spite of temperatures hovering just below 20 degrees, over a hundred people gathered at the Montoursville Cemetery Saturday, to pay tribute to Americans who served in the armed forces.

With the large American flag lowered at half-staff, folks of all ages stood, while dozens more sat in metal chairs facing the four Honor Walls that listed names of veterans from the area. Speakers stood behind a simple wooden podium flanked with two glass vases of flowers and carnations decorated red, white and blue.

“Every veteran is a hero,” said state Rep. Garth Everett, R-Muncy. He said whether they served as a nurse, deck hand, cook or mechanic they helped prepare the men fighting on the front lines. “They were a veteran,” Everett said.

Besides Everett, Muncy Baptist Church pastor Robert Rice offered the invocation and spoke. He read from Galatians, saying “Carry each others’ burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

“Not all of us are called into combat,” Rice said. “But God has called us to carry each others’ burdens. … Veterans set aside their lives to let us carry on with ours.”

He added that veterans can take pride on Veterans Day, knowing they fulfilled the mission and lived up to the admonition of the Law of Christ Rice had cited.

During the ceremony, Everett said that more needs to be done to help with the burdens of the returning veterans.

“I am an elected official,” said Everett. “And I encourage other elected officials to take better care of them.”

After the ceremony, Everett elaborated that he thought more could be done for veterans, but the action that needed to be taken, needs to be done on a federal level.

“Locally, we are doing fine,” he said. “We are very fortunate to have a fine outpatient center in Williamsport and we even provide a van for veterans needing to go to Wilkes-Barre, but this issue is a federal one.”

He said having visited different veterans and veterans’ hospitals, he believes the doctors and nurses at the patient levels do their best, but issues on the bureaucratic end are hampering them and preventing them from their jobs effectively.

As the ceremony came to a close, the names of veterans were read. Bagpiper Arno Vosk played “Amazing Grace,” then two members of the Lock Haven Color Guard, PFC Don Hills and Sgt. William Peck, fired off a three-round rifle salute. The event ended with Lt. Terry Banfill playing “Taps” on a bugle.

Following the ceremony, Caroline Savoy, who was credited with organizing the event, explained how it began back in 2011.

She said that when she joined the Montoursville Cemetery board of directors, the Honor Walls were built. She figured with the Honor Walls and the American Legion Post across the street, it made sense to have an event honoring those who served in the military.

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