LAKEVILLE – Lakeville residents braved windy weather to take part in a Veterans Day procession on Saturday, Nov. 11, that began from the Assawompset Elementary School, weaved through historical Lakeville landmarks, and ended at Dickran Diran Square.

During the event, the crowd stopped at the Lakeville honor roll, which lists the names of veterans in Lakeville. Veterans placed wreaths at the honor roll, and speeches were given to acknowledge Lakeville history and to acknowledge the role that veterans play in society.

Rodney Dixon, a veteran who also works for the Veterans Administration, gave a speech in honor of those who served.

“Veterans day is something more,” Dixon said. “It’s a call to action for each of us to serve veterans throughout the year. It’s a great opportunity for all of us to solemnly renew our commitment to those who served.”

“From Bunker Hill to Bagdad, from Kings Mountain to Kandahar, we are the beneficiaries of their vigilance and determination to uphold the democratic beliefs on which our great nation was founded,” said Dixon

The procession then ended with the recital of the pledge of allegiance and with a photograph being taken of many of the veterans who attended the event.

“It’s good for the younger generation to be aware that people gave their lives and were injured” during wars, said Brian Reynolds, a Vietnam Veteran and the Chair of Lakeville’s Historical Commission.

“Some terrible things happened in wars,” Reynolds explained. “Many of us still carry the scars of war. Sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally.”