If you love your freedom, thank a veteran. Because freedom isn’t free.
That message comes from Pastor Louie Barnett, a Marine veteran who gave the keynote address at the annual Veterans Day program at the Monroe County Fair.
Even though all of his uncles fought in World War II, Barnett said he never really understood freedom while growing up and didn’t remember it even being discussed in school. And even after he joined the U.S. Marines and served a tour in Vietnam, or had friends “who never came home, I never quite understood it,” Barnett told a throng of more than 125 people at the white entertainment tent.
“When you were born and grew up in a free country, you just take it for granted and never think about it,” he said. “Sadly, what we were never taught was how unique and how precious our freedom is and how fragile it is to keep. You went to school and hung out with friends and went to the store any time you wanted. You got a job, got married, raised a family and bought a house… etc. Until one day, a light goes on and for the first time you realize freedom is not free. It has been bought with a price. A price of blood and sacrifice. And that blood and sacrifice has come, not from politicians, the media or protesters. But only from one source. Our servicemen and women who have both past and present, served in the military of this great nation.”
All that Americans have experienced in their lives has only been possible “because of the men and women who have given the best years of their lives. And some who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives, for the cause of freedom. They are the real heroes of our nation. They willingly served to ensure those freedoms that we cherish. Why? Because freedom is never free.”
He concluded his 10-minute address with a quote from President Reagan that “freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction” and that the price for freedom is “so great we can never thank our soldiers enough. We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.”
The speech highlighted the one-hour program hosted by the Corl Gaynier Post 1942, AMVETS, that started with a parade of about 75 veterans and military personnel around the fairgrounds and ended with dancing by the Monroe Cloggers, songs by Hanna Denike and patriotic poetry from Lucy Gerber of Deerfield.
“Let’s hear it for the vets,” said Wayne Blank, an Air Force veteran and first vice commander of the post who served as master of ceremonies. “These guys were fighting for you when you were in diapers.”
During the program, Joe Demarco, 96, of Monroe drew a standing ovation for being the oldest veteran present. A Navy veteran who served in the South Pacific in World War II, he was given a gift box of carmel corn, snacks and other Michigan-made agricultural products from Monroe County Farm Bureau. Demarco clearly enjoyed the warm reception along with family members who accompanied him – John and daughter and son-in-law, JoAnne and Joe Bitz, all of Monroe.
“You’re very welcome,” Demarco shouted out during the applause.
“He comes every year to this program,” noted Mary Janssens, who presented the gift boxes along with her husband, Richard, a grain farmer and Korean War veteran who served in the U.S. Army.
Demarco, who once flocked to the country music concerts and tractor pulls at the fair, today only visits on Monday because of Veterans Day, his son said. His dad still shares many stories about the war with his family.
Don Cannon of Erie, a Marine Corps veteran in the Vietnam War and Blank’s father, also got a box from the bureau for having served the longest in the military – 24 years. Cannon, 81, served in all four Marine Divisions during his service from 1957 to 1982. Like Demarco, Cannon also comes to the program every year.
Accompanying him was his wife of 39 years, Betty Jean, also a Marine Corps veteran who served a dozen years in the Armed Forces. The couple met during her Reserve Duty.
“He was my platoon sergeant,” Betty Jean said with a smile.
Joe Diaz of Carleton actually served the longest from among those present – 40 years, all in the U.S. Navy. He would have gotten the gift box, but opted to give it to someone else.
“I feel really blessed and very shocked that I made it here,” Diaz, 73, said at the podium. “It’s only fair to give this award to someone else. When I was growing up, I never imagined making it to my 21st birthday and having survived five more wars. I’m grateful for the thousands I trained and are still living. That is my reward.”
Others in the audience who also had lengthy service included Rev. Curtiss D. Garland, an Air Force veteran who served for 24 years, and Mike Goode of Carleton, a member of the Navy Seabees who served 22 years (1964-1986).
In his opening prayer, Garland, who is pastor of East Ida Immanuel Lutheran Church, prayed for the nation and the Armed Forces serving today in the midst of a global pandemic.
“Gracious Savior, guard, protect and uphold those in our armed forces now serving. Keep our military leadership free of supercilious, political puppets and populate it with warfighters who understand the purpose and employment of our armed forces in defense of the nation.”
A color guard from the Civil Air Patrol and bagpiper Will Austin led the procession. Austin played “Wings,” “Raven Tree” and “Scotland the Brave” during the march and later “Parting Glass” and “Amazing Grace” during the program.
Barnett also played a song he wrote titled “Freedom Isn’t Free” on his guitar that recalled his experiences in the war and the impact it had on the nation. Tom Treece also entertained on guitar with “All Gave Some, Some Gave All,” a song written by Billy Ray Cyrus, and “Angel Flight,” a song penned by Radney Foster. Treece and his band played four hours to a packed crowd Sunday night under the same tent.
