Veterans Day Ceremony Honors Service Amid Snow
On November 11, community members and veterans gathered at the snow-covered Chardon Square gazebo to hold the annual Veterans Day ceremony. This event was hosted by Chardon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6519 and Chardon American Legion Post 167 despite the cold and snowy weather.
Community Support and Veteran Tribute
Michele Pemberton, director of Geauga County Veterans Services, welcomed attendees with hot coffee and donuts. She reflected on the significance of the day:
“Veterans Day is a day to thank those who served this beautiful country. The community comes out to support, regardless of the weather. I remember giving the Veterans Day speech early on in my career. It was snowing and I couldn’t feel my hands to turn the pages or my lips as I spoke. Yet, there was a crowd of veterans and civilians standing shoulder to shoulder. As soldiers, we are trained to adapt to weather and our surroundings, so we ‘suck it up and accomplish the mission.’”
Military Career of Master of Ceremonies
Steve Oluic, the ceremony's Master of Ceremonies and Chardon VFW quartermaster, shared his background. He first became interested in Army ROTC during his final years at Case Western Reserve University. After graduation, he was commissioned as a U.S. Army officer.
Now in his 19th year of service, Oluic described an assignment to West Point as an assistant professor of geography. He later advanced to assistant dean of strategy and policy at the U.S. Military Academy.
Author's summary: The Veterans Day ceremony in Chardon demonstrated strong community respect and resilience, honoring service members despite challenging snow conditions.