Region marks Veterans Day

TOLEDO, Ohio - Sacrifice, and love of country are just a couple of things you think about on Veterans Day.

On this holiday, Northwest Ohioans and Southeastern Michiganders are saying "thank you" to the men and women who fight for and have fought for our freedoms.

Young voices joined in patriotic song Wednesday morning at Glendale-Feilbach Elementary in South Toledo. The students saluted veterans with flags held high.

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VETERANS DAY 2009
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Other schools in the Toledo Public Schools district celebrated in other ways. At Hawkins Elementary on West Bancroft former student, Army Sergeant Michael Davis, was honored in a ceremony. The War on Terror veteran recently returned from his second tour in Iraq, and he's set for another deployment very soon.

Early this morning at the SeaGate Centre on Jefferson in Downtown Toledo numerous veterans ate a hearty breakfast, and gained some knowledge.

"A lot of veterans aren't aware of the services available to them," said Bill Kitson of the United Way.

Organizations like the United Way wanted to show these retired and active service men and women what's out there, when it comes to resources they can take advantage of. They wanted to show vets some appreciation.

The praise, though, didn't stop there.

"Veterans Day is a day where we aknowledge to the many men and women who have unselfishly served our nation in attempt to maintain individual freedom and safety," said University of Toledo President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs. "This is a place where we can celebrate our peace."

At 11 a.m. on UT's main campus between University Hall and the Memorial Field House, the Centennial Mall was graced with a new memorial for veterans.

Dr. Richard Perry came up with the vision, and the creation struck a chord with vets like World War II veteran James Rose.

"This is great. I'll take it to the grave with me," Rose said.

U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Ohio Sen. Mark Wagoner, Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, along with other state and local leaders marked the dedication. Many families took pictures at the wall after the ceremony.

Meanwhile, in Point Place, orange balloons were released to promote Agent Orange awareness, to show veterans they aren't forgotten.

"Our vets are dying, thousands a day, from things that happened while they were stationed, not only in Vietnam, but Cambodia, etc., ... you name it," said Marilyn Oliver, organizer for the event.

She wanted to shed light on the Agent Orange situation - a chemical used during the Vietnam Conflict to defoliate the jungle. Plenty of veterans are still suffering the effects of the chemical - just one of the countless sacrifices they had to make, to let freedom ring.