ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) -- While Veterans Day is next week, members of the Ithaca College community are honoring them early. Today marked the college's 21st Annual Veteran's Day Celebration which honored servicemen and women through word and music.
Veterans, Ithaca College faculty, staff, students, and community members gathered in Ford Hall at the James J. Whalen Center for Music on the college's campus to honor servicemen and women through words and music.
The celebration is held to thank those who served and are currently serving in the United States military. One part of the program included veteran guest speakers who spoke and shared their stories with the public, including Vanessa Doucette, a current graduate student and Navy Veteran.
"My particular and personal message is to say thank you for all their time and sacrifice over the years of missed holidays or being out at sea or in a jungle who knows where their platform was, but it certainly has shaped America and our rights and privileges to be a wonderful nation," said Doucette. "So we're just saying thank you."
Doucette served for over 12 years as a Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer 1st Class in the U.S. Navy. Her journey has led her to Ithaca College where she is now a second-year graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology program. Today, she was selected as the Honored Student Guest Speaker.
Representatives from the college say the event is important for all students. Several of them were able to watch and even perform in the celebration in front of local veterans.
Today's event brought the school's Treble Chorale, Trombone Troupe, Brass Quintet, and individual student musicians on stage to perform. Members of Cornell's ROTC aided in the ceremony by presenting the colors as well.
"We're trying to show the students that it's important to give back and show the students the sacrifice that our veterans have made for our country," said Jessica Hsu, an Air Force Veteran as well as the Assistant to the Dean of Ithaca College's Humanities and Sciences school.
Hsu's father, Timothy Fairchild, was an Air Force Staff Sergeant and served from 1967 to 1971. Fairchild was also the Honored Guest Speaker at Thursday afternoon's celebration.
In sharing his story, Fairchild was also able to convey his message of "Be the One." He handed out pins with the mantra to encourage people to be the ones to thank veterans and listen to them in case they may be struggling.
"Well, I really appreciate what Ithaca College is doing as far as honoring veterans and I think our society as a whole needs to do more of that and, in particular, take the time to thank a veteran for their service and hopefully open a dialogue with a serviceman, a veteran, who's struggling with things," said Fairchild.
The ceremony was overall solemn and joyous for all who attended and the crowd was able to honor veterans in a very special way. A reception followed where people where able to talk to veterans and listen to one another over refreshments.
Additionally, Fairchild currently serves as a Vice-Commander at the American Legion Post 42 in Towanda, PA, and encourages people to stop by if they need help or are looking for resources.
He also wants to remind his fellow veterans and anyone who knows a veteran to take the time to show your thanks and check in. Not just on Veteran's Day, but every day.
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