Aurora honors area veterans Thursday

The Aurora Public Schools Veterans Day program was called to order bright and early Thursday morning with words from American Legion member Ron Paider. 
“On behalf of American Legion Post 42 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4993, I call to order this Veterans Day program,” Paider began. “We thank you all for joining us to pay tribute to our veterans.”
Veterans Day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the Armed Forces, he continued, in wartime or peacetime.
“In fact,” he noted, “Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated and to underscore the fact that all those who served -- not only those who died or are missing in action -- have sacrificed and done their duty.”
Like other things held in great value, this security and freedom did not come without a cost, Paider announced. Part of the cost has been paid by Americans who have answered the call to duty. 
“Their service has earned them the special distinction, ‘veteran,’” Paider said. “For many veterans, our nation was important enough to endure long separations from their families, miss the birth of their children, freeze in sub-zero temperatures, bake in wild jungles, lose limbs, and, far too often, lose their lives. Military spouses have had to endure career interruptions, frequent changes of address and disproportionate share of parental responsibilities.”

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