Washburn honors vets at 34th annual Veterans Day Ceremony

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Washburn University started its Veteran Day Ceremony honoring veterans at 11:11 on this 11th day of the 11th month.

Taps sounded, honoring the lives lost serving this country, then a bell rang seven times to represent seven branches of the military.

Washburn President Jerry Farley says the day’s events leave lessons for Washburn students.

“If we can have our students today understand what has happened in the past years and how bad some of those wars were and how they affected real people, just like they are, and they will go away from here a better person because they have learned something like that from Washburn,” said Farley.

Keynote speaker retired Army Lieutenant Colonel H. David Pendleton said it’s important to recognize the individuals who sign up to fight and die for their country.

“There’s not a lot of jobs in the United States that tell you have to possibly die for your country and they do it for not a lot of money,” he said.

Former Chair of the Veterans Day Planning Committee Jeanne Kessler seconds that sentiment.

“They gave, many of them, their all and the least we can do is to stand and honor them as they pass by and many of them are passing on and we must remember,” she said.

A veteran tribute and standing bear prayer song from the Standing Bear Intertribal Brotherhood were also on the agenda.

“It’s just a good chance to get everybody together to do that. We can come together as a country if we look at our similarities and not our differences,” said Pendleton.

The Highland Park High School Air Force JROTC posted the colors and Topeka West’s Army JROTC lined up wreaths.

There are various memorials all around Washburn’s campus.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is on the southeast corner of Morgan Hall, a memorial bench at Benton Hall and a plaque honoring Shawnee County vets are in Memorial Union. They have a Civil War Memorial Plaque dedicated by President William Taft as well.

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