Staten Island OutLOUD’s Big Read series on The Things They Carried continued as we joined Vietnam veterans – and vets of all eras, at two local Veterans Day ceremonies: one event with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, another with the American Legion.  Here are a few photos from the VFW Veterans Day ceremony at Ocean View Cemetery.  After the solemn ceremony concluded and people gathered for fellowship, OutLOUD offered a Big Read book giveaway, plus other gifts for the vets and their families who attended this event.

Veterans Day 2012 took place a short time after Hurricane Sandy struck our community.  Island veterans’ groups were among the first to offer assistance to neighborhoods devastated by the storm.  Indeed, many vets who attended this ceremony had themselves suffered personally. One VFW post was destroyed by Sandy’s flood waters.  We were honored to be with Staten Island’s veterans that day; we appreciated the opportunity to thank them for their service to our community.       #NEABigRead