Friday, the VA Sierra Nevada Hospital held its annual Memorial Day service ceremony.
This is the organization's fourth time hosting the ceremony.
Thomas Talamente, the executive director of the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, says, "Today is to honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for this great country."
Talamenta also spoke at the event. He told us his main takeaway during his speech was to remind people what Memorial Day stands for and that it's a day of honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
He also says it's important for our veterans to feel important and supported by our community.
"It's definitely an important event for us here at the health care system given approximately 20% of our workforce are veterans. In addition to that, we did have some of our community living center veterans attend, and this event means a lot to them as well."
All of the people we spoke to today are examples of veterans who still help in their community today by volunteering their time to our veteran community.
We asked Bill Grey, a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, what stood out to him during the ceremony: "Honoring all of our fallen veterans, male and female, who have given the ultimate sacrifice for us and our country. You know that means so much to me."
He says it's important to continue celebrating our veterans.
"It's important because Memorial Day is for the veterans who have given the ultimate. They have given their life for us so we can live in this country free."
Robert James Mort Jr., a veteran who attended, told us the Memorial Day service is something they do for those who gave their lives fighting for our country and for those who have served.
He says it's ever so important to continue to celebrate our veterans. "We're here to serve and protect not only America but also help those in other countries that have the needs; that's part of the greatness of what America is."
