Parkville VFW Celebrates Veterans Day

Membership is down at the Parkville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9083, but that didn't stop more than 30 of its 700 members from turning out to honor those who serve in the U.S. military.

The small group, with experiences in the armed forces ranging from World War II to Iraq, listened to patriotic songs, shared stories and prayed for the safety of our troops as part of their Veterans Day celebration.

"It's all about believing in my country, and standing up for what you believe," said Terry Trish Jr., 36, a former sergeant who served in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom and member of Post 9083.

"I sent out a text to all the people I know in the service just to say Happy Veterans Day," he said. Trish has three cousins who also served in the Iraqi war, along with his best friend.

Post Commander George Thiess explained that the reason for the low turnout at the ceremony is the high percentage of members who are aging World War II veterans combined with the fact that for some younger members, the holiday fell on a workday.

Nevertheless, Thiess said, the post gets together every year to celebrate.

"[Today] means a lot to any veteran," he said. "It means the world to me."

Sharon Albaugh, the president of Post 9083's Ladies Auxilliary, explained what the holiday means to her.

"I feel so thankful and blessed that I live in this country, and the people we have to thank for it are the veterans, all through history," she said. "From the Revolutionary War, to the Civil War, to the people fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq today, [veterans] preserve the American way of life and I’m grateful for them."