GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Monday morning, Care Resources in Grand Rapids hosted a special ceremony to honor the veterans it serves. The Care Resources program provides services to people 55 years and older to enable them to remain living independently in their own homes.
Some of the people they provide services for are veterans, which is why they wanted to take a moment on Veteran's Day to acknowledge their service.
Active service members Chief Warrant Officer 2 Krista Gebhard and her husband Sgt.Maj. John Gebhard emceed the event. The couple met while both serving in the Michigan Army National Guard. Krista said this is the fourth year the couple has come to Care Resources to honor veterans.
"It is a great way for my husband and I to just honor those who served before us, and we like to give a speech, give them a little something, like a coin or something that is very military that would honor them and hopefully make them look back on their service with fond memories," she said.
The couple began honoring veterans by doing the same kind of events for hospice patients, to thank them for their service. Then, when Krista's mom took a job at Care Resources, the couple began doing the same thing there as well.
"It's great to see the same veterans year after year and see what they're up to and just honor them," said Krista.
One of the veterans in attendance on Monday was Art Visser. Visser shared that he is what's known as a naturalized citizen, meaning he immigrated to the United States.
"When this country accepted me as a citizen, you know that I stood before that judge and I pledged the allegiance and all that, it was one of the greatest things that could ever happen to me, because citizens of the United States represent the United States to my service in the Army," said Visser.
"I'm just proud to be an American," he said. "That's the greatest gift God's ever given to anybody, and I hope, I really hope, that everyone appreciates the freedom like I do."
Each veteran in attendance received a pin and a commemorative coin.