By Amy Batista, Special Writer
FLORENCE — The annual Veterans Day Service was held at the Memorial Monument on Broad Street on Veterans Day to honor those that served and continue to serve our country.
A crowd of residents, veterans, council members, firefighters, and police officers gathered Sunday morning to honor veterans and pay their respects.
”Thank you so much for coming out here today so we can pay tribute to our veterans,” said George Sampson, past national vice commander of the American Legion and a former mayor.
”They did their part, many are still doing their part,” Mr. Sampson said. “Today on Veterans Day it’s our turn to honor to serve them.”
Commander Robert Lowery of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 8838, provided the invocation during the service.
”We pray that you bless them for their unselfish service and continuous struggle to preserve our freedoms, our safety, and our country’s heritage for all of us,” said Commander Lowery.
”Bless them abundantly for the hardships they face; for the sacrifices they made,” he said. “We respect them. We thank them. We honor them. We are proud of them and we pray that you will watch over these special people.”
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Abbey Wilkie, 11, and Amy Wilkie, 12, of Florence, daughters of Mayor Craig Wilkie.
Mayor Wilkie took a few minutes to recognize and thank the “last standing member of that committee,” Richard “Dick” Glass, of the Florence Veterans Memorial Monument which was dedicated in 2000.
”It was where your home of residence was when you left,” said Mayor Wilkie as he explained about the monument to other veterans who commented that their names were not on the monument.
”I served in one way or another with all the services except the Air Force,” said Mr. Glass, who served 25 years in the military and retired as a first class petty officer.
”I couldn’t get any higher because I got frostbite,” Mr. Glass said. “They let me back in the service and that is how come I finished everything. I was older but it was harder for me to make a ranker. I didn’t really care, it didn’t make a difference.”
According to Mr. Glass, he started in the Navy.
”I loved the service,” Mr. Glass said. “I just wanted to travel and so I quit school.”
According to Mr. Glass, the monument idea was discussed by the American Legion and the Township Council and Mr. Glass was on the Township Council back in 1980s as Council President and “they thought it would be nice.”
”Two of us worked on it here for about three years,” Mr. Glass said in the 1990s. “The hardest thing was people living here saying, “Well I want to get on the monument’,” Mr. Glass said as he explained what the requirements were for veterans’ names to be placed on the monument.
”You had to be from the township,” Mr. Glass said. “It hurt a lot of feelings.”
According to Mr. Glass, the last time he “recalled” there were 1,600 names on the monument.
”There are not that many going out of the township anymore to wars,” Mr. Glass said. “It was a nice thing to get done,” Mr. Glass said. “I felt very proud of doing that.”
Mayor Wilkie thanked the Public Works Department staff who made “extra efforts to make sure everything was straightened up today.”
The Florence Township Fire Department also received a special thank for its service “above and beyond.”
”Happy 100 years,” Mayor Wilkie said. “You’ve had a busy year. One for celebration and another with response calls from that Easter morning to the 295 to a warehouse to many other calls, you’re service you have done above and beyond. You did it well and thank you.”
”Two individuals who were affected from the 295 incident are here, (Battalion) Chief Kevin Mullen and our Fire Official Brian Richardson, I just want to acknowledge you and thank you again,” Mayor Wilkie said. “Prayers do work.”
Mayor Wilkie thanked the VFW 8838 and American Legion Post 194. “It is for you that we are most grateful today, that we honor you and those you have served with today and in the past,” Mayor Wilkie said.
”While our communities heal from Hurricane Sandy we need to realize how blessed we our compared to our neighboring communities,” Mayor Wilkie said.
”This is my first Veterans Day as your mayor,” Mayor Wilkie said. “Many of you know the history of Veterans Day but I think it is important to remind ourselves that this day started as Armistice Day in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I in 1918. The war to end all wars. The truce was declared to be on the 11th month, the 11th day, at the 11th hour. It was renamed in 1954 to honor our veterans.””We should remember that every day is Veterans Day,” Mayor Wilkie said.
”Because of 9/11, our police, fire, and EMS personnel and first responders put their lives on the line to save others. Today, we do not know when or where we will be called. We answer the call like our parents and grandparents. We serve and protect our freedom.”
”We need to take care of our veterans, not by our words but by our actions,” Mayor Wilkie said. “We need to encourage and support our veterans.”
According to Mayor Wilkie, one in four of America’s homeless population are veterans; nine out of 10 were honorably discharged and nearly half served during the Vietnam War.
”This is hardly a thanks from a grateful nation,” Mayor Wilkie said in response to the facts he read to the audience he got from the American Legion.
Mayor Wilkie recognized Council President Jerry Sandusky and veteran and other council members present thanked “the men in blue,” the Florence Township Police Department.
”God Bless you all for being here,” Mayor Wilkie said in closing. “God Bless our veterans. God Bless America.”
Mayor Wilkie along with his daughters Amy and Abbey presented the wreath at the closing of the service.
Attendees were invited afterwards over to the American Legion for lunch.”I went right out of high school,” said Commander of American Legion Post 194 Paul Zimarowski Sr. “Three generations of Navy — my grandfather was in the Navy (USS Missouri), my father was in the Navy and I decided after high school that I would join the Navy.”
Commander Zimarowski said he is in his sixth term as commander of the American Legion, which has 230 members in the Florence post, but “not all in a row.” He has been past county commander of Burlington for three years.
”We do everything from Boys State, Girls State to Boy Scouts, soccer, to homeless vets,” Commander Zimaroski said. “Last year we won five awards from the state. We have one very active post.”
Commander Zimaroski encouraged veterans to become a member and get involved and check out the programs available.
”If you are not a member, please join any veterans organization because American Legion we are three million strong,” Commander Zimaroski said. “We have all kinds of benefits. We have a $1,500 displacement. If you get displaced out of your home, if you are a legion member you get $1,500. There are so many programs we are enrolled in.”

