MANCHESTER – It was day to honor veterans as several events brought together residents, local vets, students and public officials.
The township’s Veterans Day service was well attended. “Police Chief Antonio Ellis, the Command Staff, and our department’s Honor Guard were proud to attend and support this important annual tradition,” Mayor Robert Arace said. “Today, and each day, we offer our unwavering gratitude to our veterans for their service to our country.”
The Mayor, who last week was elected to serve as Ocean County Commissioner come January, was joined by 9th District Senator Carmen Amato and Assemblyman Greg Myhre. A presentation was made to Township Veterans Advisory Committee Chairman Roger P. Grenier in honor of veterans.
Grenier also served as a speaker during the ceremony. Also present were Council Vice President James Vaccaro, Councilwoman Michele Zolezzi and Councilman Craig Wallis.
Members of the township’s Veterans Advisory Committee, residents and public officials would later came out to listen to veterans speak at the Manchester High School’s Hawks Hall of Honor.
Manchester High School students and staff members hit the road to honor veterans across the community on Veterans Day. MTHS students along with New Jersey ROTC students, led by Lt. Commander John Holzer and Patrick McKay, retired US Navy, traveled around Manchester with the MTHS band and choir to honor township veterans.
They stopped at each of the township’s schools to provide students and staff with a ceremony and were welcomed downtown for the Manchester Township Veterans Day Ceremony where MTHS students sang the National Anthem and where the MTHS NJROTC Color Guard joined the Manchester Township Police Department.
Their road trip concluded at Manchester Township High School where community members, students, staff, parents, Board of Education members, Town Council members, and the Manchester Township Police Department came together to honor local veterans for Manchester Township High School’s 20th Annual Veterans Day Ceremony.
The MTHS Concert Band concluded the ceremony with the Armed Service Medley. Veterans in the audience proudly stood when their branch song was played, and were honored with applause and cheers from the audience.
