Traditional Veterans Hall ceremony joined by Saturday gathering at Solvang Park held by county vets group
As is custom, people from the Santa Ynez Valley and beyond paid compliments and respects to those who have served our country, but this year — and maybe in future years — local residents and tourists in Solvang had two chances to celebrate Veterans Day on the second weekend of October.
While the VFW Post 1139 held its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Oct. 11, two days earlier another Veterans Day event was held in Solvang for the first time.
The 4th annual Salute to the Vets, put on by the Santa Barbara County Veterans Foundation, was held at Solvang Park for the first time on Saturday, Oct. 9. The previous two years, the SBCVF had held the event in Santa Ynez, with a parade down Sagunto Street and a gathering at Mavericks Saloon.
This year, the organizers didn’t have the parade, but offered a fun event with a cookout atmosphere: Hamburgers and hot dogs were served to those buying a meal ticket, the local band Out of the Blue played music from the park gazebo, military vehicles were on display thanks to the Flat Fender Friends, and a silent auction was also on display with a plethora of locally donated items.
Jerry Farmer and Henry Schulte, who joined up to form the foundation about 10 years ago, were at the event and said there were a couple of reasons they tried it in Solvang.
“The main thing is that we moved it up in the schedule: last year we had the weekend before the Veterans Day Weekend, and a lot of people weren’t aware,” Schulte said. “In fact, we’d have people come up to us the actual Veterans Day and I had to tell them ‘Oh, we had it last week.'”
Schulte said because of the schedule change, they had trouble securing the Santa Ynez site, and the Solvang Parks and Rec Department were receptive to having it in their city.
“They said it wouldn’t be a problem, and we were able to reserve the park for this,” he said. “And it’s working out well; I like this because it’s more of a family-oriented site, and we’d like to see if we can get a permanent location for this.”
Farmer said the group used to have their events in Santa Barbara, but he said they moved it up to North County because they found there’s more support for veterans here.
“It just really seems like the people of North County seem more in tune with our servicemen and women,” he said. “Moving it up here, it’s been phenomenal.”
In addition to the food, drink, and entertainment, and local radio personality Drew Wakefield MCing the proceedings, the park had numerous booths set up offering services for veterans.
Among them was Kelly Diaz, who was volunteering at the booth advocating for the She Raised Her Hand initiative to recognize female vets like herself.
“We’re just working to increase awareness that there are female veterans out there who need help, and sometimes they’re reluctant to get it,” Diaz said. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to gatherings and people ask me if I’m a veteran’s wife, and I say ‘no, I’m a veteran.’ And there are a lot of women in my position who deal with that, and it makes them not want to come to VA facilities to seek help.”
There were also booths and the event covering such services and causes as suicide prevention and financial and housing services.
During conversation, Farmer let it be know that the event will be returning to Solvang next year.
“We’ll be doing it at Solvang Theaterfest; we’ve already set it up for the Saturday before Veteran Day,” he said. “And we’re talking to Hancock College and the PCPA about putting on a USO show.”
The tentative date for next year’s Salute to the Vets event is Nov. 8, 2025.
Meanwhile, on the actual Veterans Day, Nov. 11, the AFW Post 7139 held it’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony at Solvang Veterans Hall. This more formal affair, a staple of Solvang for years.
The ceremony included a flag raising by the local Boy Scout Troop 41, who also presented the flags of all the service branches inside the hall later; laying of the wreath for POWs/MIAs, and the playing of taps.
Inside, Jeffrey Willis led his first Veterans Day Ceremony since taking over as VFW Post Commander, Pastor Jeff Brown of Bethania Lutheran Church gave the invocation, and Solvang Mayor Mark Infanti delivered a proclamation by the city honoring all veterans.
The Santa Ynez Valley Chorale and Santa Ynez Valley Jazz Band performed musical interludes throughout the ceremony.
The keynote speaker was Brigadier Gen. Frank Kincaid, the deputy commander at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Kincaid reminded the audience that the real meaning of Veterans Day is to honor the bravery of those who fought for our country, and brought up the example of one James Anderson Jr., a 20-year-old U.S. Marine from Los Angeles who, while in Vietnam grabbed a live grenade and put it to his chest, sacrificing himself to save others in his platoon.
“Freedom, as we know, is not free,” Kincaid said. “It demands so much from us and the stakes are high. A veteran’s service is rendered with great sacrifices, like long separations from loved ones, missing signficant life events like the birth of a child, and countless relocation around the world.”
Kincaid also pointed out the physical and mental scars many veterans bring back home with them.
“We must remain steadfast to advocate for veterans benefits,” he said, ” to ensure they have the access to resources and opportunities, to begin to provide, listen to their stories and never forget.”
The final speaker was retired Army Col. Art Kaslow, who a well-know dentist in the area. In his address, Kaslow stressed the importance of young people to understand the sacrifices veterans have made for the country and how many of them need to follow the same path.
“This country is facing a gradual scarcity of youth who will supply future military service,” Kaslow said. “But we can show our approaching generations the history and glory of this generation.”
As an example, Kaslow pointed to a moment with his 4-year-old grandson, who saw an old photo of his grandpa with his Army platoon.
“He asks me ‘do you still have the military clothes?'” he recalled. “And I said, ‘yes, in the closet.’ And he asked ‘couldyou put them on for me?’ And I said ‘uh, no, not right now.'”
However, Kaslow then explained that he remembered the time he would go through his dad’s military mementos, anddecided to put on his old Army clothes for his grandson, who was thrilled to see his grandpa in the military garb.
At that point, someone in the audience asked Kaslow what costume his grandson wore this past Halloween.
“He was an Army soldier,” Kaslow answered to wide applause.
the Vets event Nov. 9 at Solvang Park. Photo by Mike Chaldu
