BOCA RATON — Paying tribute to America’s veterans and military personnel, cadets from the Civil Air Patrol participated in Veterans Day ceremonies Friday at Veterans Memorial Park and Stratford Court.
At the park in West Boca Raton, teenagers from the Boca Raton Composite Squadron carried the Colors alongside Color Guards from the Marine Corps, Women in the Military, Jewish War Vets, VFW, the Boy Scouts and the Sherriff’s Department.
“We are so pleased that these kids made the effort to be here today,” said World War II veteran Ralph Shear of the Veterans Coalition of South Florida said.” Guest Speaker, 12-year-old Cadet Senior Airman Miller Caldwell, told the crowd why he was proud of his country stating that, “America is a strong and powerful nation,” and that “Our strength isn’t found in our numbers but in our resolve. My father was in the US Navy, as was his father and his father before him. Both of my brothers are enrolled in a Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps in high school. I am currently serving in the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program.”
Immediately follow ceremonies at Veterans Memorial Park, the squadron proceeded to events at Stratford Court, a Boca Raton senior living community. Several of the squadron cadets were given the opportunity to present their VFW Voice of Democracy speeches.
The audience, consisting largely of veterans, many who served in World War II, appreciated hearing the cadets’ words.
The Civil Air Patrol Boca Raton Composite Squadron meets Tuesday evenings 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Boca Raton Airport, northernmost gate near Lynn University Flight School building.