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Residents turn out for Veterans Day events
Published November 12, 2009
SWEENY — John Follett unlocked his arms and smiled as drumrolls slowly grew louder, matching the beat of quick, straight steps of hundreds of military veterans marching through the streets of Sweeny.
As hundreds of full-sized and miniature American flags set up on roadways as part of the Brazoria County Veterans Day parade wafted in a cool breeze, the proud former U.S. Marine staff sergeant focused on the future and not the past.
For the Columbia Lakes resident, Veterans Day is a celebration of the wife he would marry, children he would father and grandkids he would play with as a survivor of a three-year military tour that included five battles in the Asian Pacific during World War II.
“It’s about being able to come home, see your wife and see your kids growing up to become adults,” he said.
Crowds cheered and waved flags from the sidewalks Wednesday as hundreds of military veterans, first responders, elected officials, Brazoria County Cavalry members and high school bands moved through the streets of Sweeny in celebration of the armed forces. Sirens blared and dignitaries in convertibles or classic cars tossed goodies to children.
Efran Reyes of Brazoria and his daughter, Amelia, stood on a street corner in downtown and took in the festivities.
Reyes, whose father, Armando, was participating in the parade as a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8551, took his 20-month-old girl to the parade so she could learn about military sacrifice.
“I wanted to show her what it means, because we did not know about it,” Reyes said. “Now that you get older, you realize what they did and that it’s important. And if we can get her to learn about it, she might be interested, too.
“It’s to remember, not to forget,” he said.
The parade spotlighted scores of military veterans from throughout Brazoria County and a few from neighboring Matagorda County, with Sweeny resident Leroy Walker, who served three years in the military, as the parade’s grand marshal. They waved and smiled widely, and even mouthed “thank you” to paradegoers lining the street.
“We must remember our veterans, the sacrifices they have made for us and our freedoms,” said Mary Moreno, founder of Military Moms and Wives of Brazoria County. “We have to be thankful for the families of these veterans, also, because we have to sacrifice.”
Sweeny put together a full day of festivities for Veterans Day, starting with a veterans breakfast. The day’s events wrapped up with a Veterans Day ceremony at Bulldog Stadium, where retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Brett M. Dula spoke. Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Clarence Sasser attended as a guest.
“It’s important to honor our veterans,” Dula said.
State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, said Veterans Day is one of the most important days of the year.
“Many things in this great country are brought to us by veterans,” he said. “The freedoms that we enjoy in this country — freedom of speech, freedom of building a business and entrepreneurship — are all protected by veterans and active-duty servicemen and women. There’s no better day than the day that we honor and appreciate, recognize and thank them.”
It was the West of the Brazos city’s first chance to host the county’s Veterans Day celebration, which moves to a different area each year.
Veterans Day Steering Committee Chairman John Hasso has been a part of the event for 11 years.
“I think Sweeny did a marvelous job,” he said. “I am very proud of the city of Sweeny for coming out and hosting the veterans.”
After the ceremony came to a close, Veterans Day Host Committee member Rodney Weems assessed the day. Weems, an Air Force veteran, emceed the ceremony.
“The overall message is to honor veterans on this day, and I thought that was done extremely well,” he said.
Doni Westbrook, a Sweeny resident, said she attended the parade to take in the sights and sounds and pay tribute to veterans. She has many friends and family who joined the military.
“If it wasn’t for soldiers and God, we would not have what we have today,” she said. “What they did keeps us free, and that’s important.”
Nathaniel Lukefahr covers Sweeny for The Facts. Contact him at 979-237-0151.
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