Tributes and traditions anchor Holyoke’s Veterans Day Ceremony

From the sound of bagpipes to the ringing of bells, Holyoke honored Veterans Day with a ceremony recognizing those who served our country. 22 News reporter Sarah Bien-Aimé shows us how the city is keeping their service and sacrifices from being forgotten. That's right, Claire and Ciari. City officials say supporting veterans takes more than one ceremony. So they held a celebration at the War Memorial Building, a place dedicated to giving back to those who served. The sound of bagpipes filled the air as the Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band escorted city leaders and community groups into the city's annual Veterans Day ceremony. I wanted to make sure that folks understand that how much we appreciate What it is that they've achieved, and that was for us to be able to self-govern ourselves. Among those sharing their stories was Army First Lieutenant Margaret Perry, a Vietnam-era veteran who now calls Holyoke home. I'm delighted to have been invited. It feels good to be speaking about my experience again. There's not many people who are that interested in women veterans' stories. Right as she was finishing up, bells rang at 11 a.m. to mark the moment the fighting ended in World War I. In another touching moment, veterans stood up as the choir sang the song of their branch. Praise the Lord. Every year, this ceremony recognizes several individuals, not only to thank them for their service, but to find out how the community can give back to them. One of those honored was Mark Watson. The 70s Marine, enlisted, took home Holyoke's Veteran of the Year Award. I was like, why me? You know, there's so many other people. You know, what I do is I tell stories. I tell stories of ordinary people that do extraordinary things. And the Veterans Services Department here has allowed me to do that. A pilot project uncovering Holyoke veteran stories is expected to launch next Veterans Day. And other awards given today include a Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year, and Public Service of the Year. Working for you, Sarah Bien-Aimé, 22 News.