QVCC Observes Veterans Day with Outdoor Celebration and Veterans Connection Photo Exhibit

DANIELSON – On Thursday, November 11, Quinebaug Valley Community College was graced with a beautiful November afternoon to host the annual Veterans Day Celebration outdoors in the Veterans Garden, located on the Danielson campus.

Over 400 bricks engraved with the names of local veterans lie in QVCC’s Veterans Garden, which was built in 2010 with the goal of providing a place where local veterans could be honored and remembered for their services to our country.

QVCC’s Veterans Day Celebration began with the National Anthem, performed by QVCC alumna Linda Colangelo, and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Fred Ruhlemann of the Danielson Veteran Coffeehouse. QVCC CEO Dr. Karen Hynick provided a warm welcome, followed by comments from United States Congressman Joe Courtney and Connecticut State Representative Pat Boyd.

The celebration also included an original poem, written and recited by QVCC’s Veterans Services Coordinator Joel Niemann ’15, “A Soldier’s Prayer,” read by Sergeant 1st Class Melissa Collins of the Connecticut National Guard, and musical selections, including a Military Service Song medley and God Bless America, also performed by Linda Colangelo.

Following the outdoor celebration, guests were welcomed into the SPIROL Art Gallery for a viewing of the Veterans Connection photo exhibit. The Veterans Connection photo exhibit began in the fall of 2014 to recognize and celebrate the QVCC faculty, staff, and community members who have served or have loved ones who have served in the United States military.

Also featured in the exhibit is a missing man table, also known as a fallen comrade table. This table is reserved to honor our brave and selfless American military members who have perished on the battlefield, those who have not been returned to us after being taken prisoner on foreign soil, and for those who went missing and have not found their way back home.

The Veterans Connection photo exhibit, which is open to the public, will be running until Friday, November 26. Community members are invited and encouraged to visit.

“We’re so grateful that we could host our Veterans Day celebration in person this year,” said QVCC’s Veterans Services Coordinator Joel Niemann. “We had outstanding weather, excellent speakers, and an incredible photo exhibit. We couldn’t have asked for more to honor our veterans, locally and beyond.”

 

Veterans Day Celebration

Please join us on Thursday, November 11 at 1:00 pm as we celebrate Veterans Day. Our celebration will include:

  • The National Anthem, performed by Linda Colangelo
  • The Pledge Of Allegiance, lead by Fred Ruhlemann
  • Welcome by College CEO Karen Hynick
  • Military Service Song, performed by Linda Colangelo
  • A soldiers poem, read by Joel Niemann
  • Closing with a Soldiers Prayer
  • The opening of the Veterans Photo exhibit with refreshments and Marine Corps birthday cake cutting ceremony

*This event will be held outdoors under a tent on the Danielson Campus.

Virtual Veterans Day Ceremony

Quinebaug Valley Community College will celebrate Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11 with a virtual ceremony, highlighting the addition and dedication of 18 new bricks to the Veterans Garden. The virtual ceremony will also include greetings from QVCC’s Dr. Rose R. Ellis and several local legislators.

Over 400 bricks already lie in QVCC’s Veterans Garden, which was built in 2010 with the goal of having a place where local veterans could be honored and remembered for their service. The new bricks added this year honor the following servicemen and servicewomen:

SPC5 Bruce Allen Waterman
US Army, Vietnam

SGT Paul A. LaJeunesse
US Army

Joseph Dziki
USMC, World War II

James L. Ayers
US Army, World War II

SP5 John W. Warner
US Army, Vietnam

George J. Thivierge
US Army, Korea

SPC5 VJ Ward
US Army, 1966-1968

Lester E. Day
US Army, World War II

SGT E. Spooner
Operation Freedom, 2012-2013

Dennis J. Matteau
US Army, Vietnam

Ray Porier
US Air Force AMISTCL, AF12501599

Darrell E. Stevens
US Navy, Vietnam, 1970

David A. Griffiths
USAF, THS, 1965-1970

George E. Marczac
US Coast Guard, Vietnam

ENCM John D. Lord
US Navy, Vietnam

Al Orlomoski
US Army, 1946-1949
11 AB, JAPAN

Steven F. Orlomoski
US Air Force, 1979-2013

Floyd R. Merriman
US Army, 75 INF, World War II

QVCC to Host Virtual Veterans Day Ceremony

Quinebaug Valley Community College will celebrate Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11 with a virtual ceremony, highlighting the addition and dedication of 19 new bricks to the Veterans Garden. The virtual ceremony will also include greetings from QVCC’s Dr. Rose R. Ellis and several local legislators.

Messages from legislators include Senator Richard Blumenthal, Senator Mae Flexer, Congressman Joe Courtney, Representative Anne Dauphinais, and Representative Pat Boyd. The Presentation of Colors will be done by the American Legion of Putnam, CT and the musical selection will be performed by Linda Colangelo.

Over 400 bricks already lie in QVCC’s Veterans Garden, which was built in 2010 with the goal of having a place where local veterans could be honored and remembered for their service. The new bricks added this year honor the following servicemen and servicewomen:

James L. Ayers
US Army, World War II

Lester E. Day
US Army, World War II

Joseph Dziki
USMC, World War II

Roland J. Farfand
US Navy, WWII Seabees

David A. Griffiths
USAF, THS, 1965-1970

SGT Paul A. LaJeunesse
US Army

ENCM John D. Lord
US Navy, Vietnam

George E. Marczac
US Coast Guard, Vietnam

Dennis J. Matteau
US Army, Vietnam

Floyd R. Merriman
US Army, 75 INF, World War II

Al Orlomoski
US Army, 1946-1949
11 AB, JAPAN

Steven F. Orlomoski
US Air Force, 1979-2013

Ray Porier
US Air Force AMISTCL, AF12501599

SGT E. Spooner
Operation Freedom, 2012-2013

Darrell E. Stevens
US Navy, Vietnam, 1970

George J. Thivierge
US Army, Korea

SPC5 VJ Ward
US Army, 1966-1968

SP5 John W. Warner
US Army, Vietnam

SPC5 Bruce Allen Waterman
US Army, Vietnam

 

Veterans Day Celebration

Please join us as we celebrate veterans on Friday, November 8, 2019 at 2:00 pm in the QVCC Auditorium. Immediately following the ceremony will be the opening of the Veterans Connection Photo Exhibit in the SPIROL Art Gallery.

Bricks added to the Veterans Garden will be dedicated at the ceremony. Afterwards, guests are welcome to visit the Garden, located in the circle outside the main entrance.

*IMPORTANT NOTICE*
A community member who is extremely allergic to paint and solvent fumes will be attending the ceremony.If you have been exposed to paints and solvents and have not washed and changed your clothing or are carrying anything freshly painted within the past five days, please see the security guard in the atrium.

For more information, contact Annie Hill at 860-932-4114 or ahill@qvcc.edu.