Posted on 21 November 2012 by La Habra Journal
It’s November and time to give thanks. And it’s not just because of Thanksgiving. At the beginning of the month we celebrate Veterans Day and honor all those who have served.
Being a veteran and coming from a family of veterans, it is always nice to see the appreciation. It is especially moving to see the way the community comes out to support the veterans.
The annual Veterans Day ceremony put on by the city of La Habra was phenomenal and moving. The recognition of SFC William T. Brown, and the story conveyed by his sister in law Carolyn Brown about her family’s journey over the years up until his final homecoming in August, really helped solidify the meaning of the day and added a deeper sense of thanks for our Veterans.
On a personal note, I (usually I refrain from the first person in the commentary, but I will make an exception) can attest to the thankfulness and support from this community. When I returned from Desert Storm the community, on various levels, came out to show support of me and other residents who returned. I’ve included a photo below that shows of an example of that support. It was the welcome home party I was given at Don Steves Chevrolet. I was just the son of an employee, but they (and in particular Ms. Ellie Steves) gave me a celebration, welcoming me back. I am thankful for experiencing that sense of community back then.
Aside from veterans, there is another group in our community that we should be thankful for…the community’s first responders. We need to be thankful for the men and women that respond to the call of emergency. The 70 years that men and women have been volunteering to help protect the Heights from fires. Individuals who took it upon themselves to protect their homes and their neighbors’ homes, initially without pay, is something to be thankful for. The men and women who serve La Habra in the Los Angeles County Fire Authority also deserve our thanks. Not a day goes by that I don’t see the trucks or hear the sirens as they respond to an emergency.
Also, the men and women of the La Habra Police Department and the members of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department who patrol the Heights deserve our thanks. They provide a service that many of us don’t realize. They help keep us, and our property, safe without much fanfare.
Another group in our community to thank are the teachers in the various schools. As an educator myself I can appreciate the time and effort they put in every day. As a parent of young children, I am in awe of their patience and passion to teach despite having to deal with the volume of short attention spans.
A group that deserves thanks are the many volunteers who provide countless hours of service to community events like AYSO, Little League, Pop Warner, Softball, etc. There are so many that sacrifice their time to help make our community’s youth have an enjoyable time.
There are so many others in the community that we should be thankful for. However, there is one additional group that I am thankful for…it’s my family. They are my motivation and my inspiration. They keep me going when times are challenging and they are with me when times are great. They are partially the reason I am writing in this newspaper.
This leads me to the final group to be thankful for…it’s you. However cheesy that may sound, as you read this you are taking the time to use the LH Journal information. That is what I hoped for when taking over this publication. I am thankful for the opportunity to provide this information to you and I am thankful to be a part of this community.
