Woodland Hills Ceremony Honors Local Veterans and Their Families

Woodland Hills Ceremony Honors

Local Veterans and Their Families

By Edmee Rodriguez

WOODLAND HILLS — Woodland Hills commemorated Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11, with an 11 a.m. ceremony honoring local veterans and their families. The program began with a sing-along to “God Bless America,” followed by a tribute reading, a historical overview of the holiday, and a pinning ceremony. The event concluded with a luncheon for the honorees.

Honoring Service Across Branches

Sixteen veterans were recognized by name and military branch:` ● Air Force: Gordon Mattox, Roger Smith, Edward Lee Kennedy, and Thomas Wilson

● Marine Corps: Patrick Frohock

● Navy: Richard Lynn, Ward Bill Stevens, John Tracy Walker, and Quinn Thomas ● Army: Gerald Roller, Franklin Pugh, James Patterson, Richard McDaniel, Stan Diez, Lee Bercher, and Buford Lumsden

Following the pinning ceremony, floral presentations were made to veterans’ wives in attendance: Eleanor Roller, Sue Patterson, and Connie Diez.

The History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day originated with the armistice that ended fighting in World War I on Nov. 11,

1918. The ceasefire took effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, establishing the date as Armistice Day. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation expanding the observance and renaming it Veterans Day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Community Reflections

Corinne Shelor, Spiritas director at the facility, noted that the annual celebration has been hosted for at least four years.

“It warms my heart,” Shelor said. “I’m very emotional about the Veterans Day celebration. I put a lot of time, effort, and energy into it because I want to make it so special for them and their families.”

Kimberly Holbrook of Good Samaritan Hospice reflected on the significance of the event: “It’s a very emotional event. It makes you very proud and honored to be a part of this for the residents here.”

Iris Park, also of Good Samaritan Hospice, described it as “a wonderful event recognizing and honoring our veterans,” adding, “Very emotional. So important to have something like this.”

The ceremony closed with a prayer honoring veterans and their families. Shelor encouraged attendees to honor service members daily through acts of kindness, respect, and appreciation. The gathering concluded with warm applause as attendees expressed their gratitude to the veterans.