Members of the Tooele Elks Lodge held their annual Veterans Day program on Monday, Nov. 11, to honor those who have served.

The event, which took place at St. Marguerite Catholic Church, began at 9:30 a.m. with a breakfast consisting of sausage, ham, eggs, biscuits, hash browns, coffee, milk and juice. Breakfast was free to all who attended.

After breakfast, a short program was put on by students at St. Marguerite School. Over 30 children sang patriotic songs and several children spoke. 

At 11 a.m., the annual Veterans Day program began with the posting of the colors by the Rodney N. David detachment #1251 of the Marine Corps League, followed by the National Anthem sung by Tooele City Mayor, Debbie Winn, a prayer by Kim Young, chaplain at the Tooele Elks Lodge, and opening remarks given by Winn.

“Whether you are currently enlisted or whether you have served in the past, you are so very important,” Winn said. “We truly do appreciate your service and recognize that why we are a free country is because of you.”

Winn also thanked families of active-duty members and veterans. After Winn spoke, a missing man table was presented. A missing man table is often set up at similar events to recognize those in the military who are missing or lost. Each item on the table has a representation.

After the missing man table presentation and a prayer, Dave McCall, a member of the Tooele Elks and Tooele City Council member, presented guest speaker Col. Luke R. Clover, commander at Tooele Army Depot.

During his speech, Clover talked about veterans in small communities.

“Today, we pay tribute to our local veterans, our neighbors, friends, and family members who answered the call of duty,” he said. “We owe a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid… We must remember that the freedoms we enjoy come at a cost.”

Clover also spoke about families of veterans and active-duty members.

“Behind every service member, stands a family who serves alongside them,” he said. “To the spouses who kept the home fires burning, to the children who bravely faced long separations from their parents, and to the parents who watched their children go off to war, your strength and resilience is the backbone of America.”

Clover encouraged those in attendance to consider how they may serve their community and country, to assist veterans with finding employment and mental health services, and to actively listen to veterans’ stories.

“Their [veterans’] stories of courage, resilience, and selflessness are powerful testament to the enduring strength of the American spirit,” Clover said.

At the end of the ceremony, the colors were retired, a prayer was given, and members of the Tooele County Quilters handed out over 70 quilts to veterans in the community. The Tooele County Quilters began making patriotic quilts for those who have served in 2018. Since the program started, over 300 quilts have been given away.

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