At the newly enhanced Middle Country Athletic Complex in Selden, a banner-unveiling ceremony to honor Veterans was held on Saturday, November 4.
The Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce, under the direction of President Lenore Paprocky, wanted to honor our Veterans this Veterans Day by hanging banners highlighting our very own Hometown Heroes.
The banners were and still are available to any member of the community who would like to have one to recognize the service of a family member.
The Middle Country Athletic Complex itself is an amazing new addition to the Selden-Centereach area. Known for many years as Veterans Park, it became the obvious choice for the Chamber to join forces with the Town of Brookhaven through Town Clerk Kevin Lavalle (R-Selden) and Councilman Neil Manzella (R-Selden) as the perfect place to hang the banners.
The banners are hung from the top section of the fence lining the multipurpose football, soccer, and lacrosse field. There is room for more and as they branch out into more sections of fence and fields around the park, it will become a “Walk of Heroes”.
The banners, each with the same photo on both sides, honor a specific Veteran at the request of their family, stating which military branch and years served. The banners will hang proudly for two years and then the family can choose to continue or can take the banner home with them.
To open the ceremony on Saturday, Lenore Paprocky invited Bob Boehning, of the Kathleen Daly Clark Division 8/9 of the Hibernians, to play the bagpipes in full regalia. Karen Roth and Ken Nevor, two members of the Chambers’ committee, were among the few who spoke briefly. Ken Nevor, US Army, is a well-decorated and disabled Vietnam Veteran who continues to serve his fellow Veterans via numerous committees and organizations. Ken went one step further and called up others from the Vietnam era to present them with a pin to acknowledge their service and welcome them home. Frank Rudilosso, US Navy, is seen being saluted by Ken and receiving his pin to appreciative applause.
The Town of Brookhaven Parks Department were commended for their continued dedication to keeping this park well-maintained and for hanging the banners for the event.
It is an absolutely beautiful complex in so many ways and now has risen to a higher purpose in honoring those who allowed us the freedoms we so enjoy today.
