The annual Centralia Veterans Day Service was hosted at Centralia American Legion Post 446 on Tuesday, after being relocated at the last minute from the planned venue of the Centralia VFW.
This year’s keynote speaker was Navy veteran and current Marion County deputy coroner Todd Schultze. Schultze talked about being inspired to service by his father, a Korean War veteran.
“He loved this country, and he loved our flag, and he instilled that in me and my siblings… To me, being a veteran means service,” Schultze said. “I quickly learned that service doesn’t end when we hang up the uniform, because service has become who we are. We’ve seen firsthand what it takes to protect freedom, and we know freedom only survives when people are willing to serve, in their communities, in their schools, and in their families.”
Each Veterans Day Service recognizes several local veterans by presenting them with a plaque and adding them to the Court of Honor. Those inducted into the Court of Honor this year were Stephen Owens, Keith McCormick, Richard Jacquas, Orlie Uhls, Sharon Pierjok, Todd Schultze, Tammy Guidish, Roberta Bland, Herb Russell Williams, Paul Hermaling, Jerry Schwalm, and Walter Hanks.
The event is sponsored by the Sutherland family and the Sutherland-Garnier funeral home, and alternates locations each year between the Centralia American Legion and Centralia VFW.
