Philadelphia – November 9, 2018 — Today, Sen. Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) joined State Representative Isabella Fitzgerald, the offices of State Representative Chris Rabb, Councilwoman Cindy Bass, Congressman Dwight Evans, members of the Philadelphia Fire and Police Departments, and Martin Luther King High School JROTC students for a flag raising ceremony.
“It is important we thank those who have fought and died for our freedom in this country,” Sen. Haywood said. “May we take the opportunity to thank a veteran not just on Veterans Day, but every day.”
“Fifty years ago, this year I came back from Vietnam and I got tired of seeing a tattered flag up on the Lonnie Young Recreation Center,” Block Captain John Ellison, United States Army and Vietnam Veteran said. “We have a few veterans on our block, and I want to be able to raise the flag in commemoration for the rest of the Vietnam Vets.”
“In this climate of uncertainty, especially in this era of singlemindedness and the testing of America’s strength, it is comforting to know that there are men and women who put their lives on the line daily to assure that the freedoms guaranteed to us through the Constitution are upheld,” State Rep. Isabella Fitzgerald said. “On Veterans Day as we celebrate our heroes, those who currently serve in the military, those who have served and those who have sacrificed their lives, let’s thank them for the gift of their service and for their unconditional dedication to protecting our freedoms.”
The ceremony consisted of remarks from Sen. Haywood, State Rep. Fitzgerald and Mr. Ellison with a color guard presentation by MLK High School’s JROTC, a moment of silence for veterans, the flag being raised by the Philadelphia Fire Department, signing of the National Anthem and the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance.
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