To the Editor:

On May 3, the Boyd Hilton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and its ladies’ auxiliary celebrated their 24th year of their annual Loyalty Day program. 

This program honors the loyalty of those who serve our country and those who serve our veterans and community.

This program was started 24 years ago by the late Nellie Roberts who continued to be the chairwoman for this event until about eight years ago when she handed over the leadership to me.  Nellie was a very special person; she worked tirelessly for all our veterans, our community, our VFW, and her family.

I would joke when we honored her that she was so patriotic she wore red, white, and blue underwear. I thank Nellie for creating a program that allows our VFW and its ladies’ auxiliary to honor those in our community who selflessly continue to honor our veterans and our community.

Loyalty Day this year started with the members of the Patriot Guard and The American Legion Riders creating an aisle of honor for all of our guests to walk down to enter the event.

The event started at 2 p.m. with the Boyd Hilton Color Guard marching followed by the Altamont fire Department, the Patriot Guard, and the American Legion Riders to post the colors.

District 3 Commander Gene Ratigliano welcomed everyone to Loyalty Day and then turned the program over to me as mistress of ceremonies. I welcomed everyone to our 24th Loyalty Day and then District 3 Chaplain Mike Hoag gave the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a very special guest of the event, Jim Smith, an Iwo Jima survivor, sang the national anthem.

Auxiliary President Ginny Woods handed out a flag and a certificate to those in our community who fly their flags every day.

Every year, we honor those who do outstanding things for our veterans and our community and do it from the heart; more than likely, not many people know what they do except for those they help.  I was very honored to present a certificate to District 3 Past President Belle Bruse and to Sue Clark, a special friend of the Boyd Hilton Ladies’ Auxiliary. We thank both ladies for giving so much of their time to make sure that those in need are always taken care of.

Next, our Senior Vice President Pat Hagerott, the essay chairwoman, presented a check and certificate to the winners of our essay contest, which we do with the Altamont Elementary fifth-grade class.  The theme was, “Our Veterans, My Hero.:  The winners were: first place, Natalie Grant; second place, Cassandra Waldenmaier; and third place, Joshua Costantini

Our guest speaker, representing Albany County Executive Dan McCoy for Loyalty Day was Lieutenant Colonel, Retired, Eric Erdmann. After his speech, he presented each of our special guests — eight Iwo Jima survivors — with a citation and a challenge coin from Albany County.  District Commander Gene Ratigliano also presented each with a citation.

When we started planning our 24th year, we wanted to make it special so we chose to honor the eight Iwo Jima survivors who gather regularly at the Home Front Café in Altamont at least once a month.  They are Corporal Art Aratakis, Corporal Fred Bessette, Corporal Sal Famularo, Corporal Tom Lemme, Sergeant at Arms Jim Smith, Corporal Dr. Tom Smith, First Lieutenant Norbert Woods, and Corporal Robert Youngs.

I started off by speaking about the special bond Marines have: Once a Marine, always a Marine. They form a special brotherhood during active duty and when retired with their own special motto, Semper Fidelis, and, of course, oorah.  The eight special veterans we honored on Loyalty Day were all Marines and they still carry on their traditions; they are a band of brothers who looked out for each other on Iwo Jima and today they still look out for each other.

President Ginny Woods and I gave to each of the special Marines a flag that was flown over the USS Arizona, at Iwo Jima, in their honor and a citation signed by Captain James E. McGovern, United States Navy Commanding Officer, along with a challenge coin from VFW 7062 presented by VFW Member Terry Reed.

The benediction was given by Marine Chaplain Brother Robert Francis, and District 3 Past President Belle Bruse sang “God Bless America.”

We thank the community for honoring our veterans loyally for 24 years, from 1990 to 2014.

Darlene Stanton
Auxiliary Loyalty Day Chairwoman