By DAVID PIERSON
Cambria American Legion invites the community to attend a Veterans Day program and lunch on Monday, November 11, at 11 a.m. inside the Veterans Memorial Hall (1000 Main Street) where we will be celebrating all veterans.
Seating will be available beginning at 10:30 a.m. Veterans will be greeted by the Cambria 4-H youth who will hand letters to veterans as they enter the hall. Everyone is encouraged to come and pay respect to our nation’s veterans, current and past. American Legion Post 432 members especially want to invite all veterans in the community to come even if they are not American Legion members. Cambria Community Council provides free rides to senior and disabled members of the community. They can be reached at (805) 927-4173. Call by 10 a.m. the day before to reserve a ride.
The guest speaker this year is Greg McGill, founder and director of Honor Flight Central Coast. He was born and raised on the Central Coast; he had a career as a firefighter and still works at Camp Roberts. Greg will be honoring all veterans during the program but will pay a special tribute to George Rankin and his wife Molly. George passed away during this past year. He and Molly were long-term Cambria residents and very active in the community. They were often seen in Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus costumes during the Lions Club annual December youngsters’ party and other holiday events. They were also active with the Salvation Army and rang the bells outside retail stores to attract donations. George was a WWII Veteran and a 35-plus year member of the Cambria American Legion. He served in the Navy from 1942 to1945 aboard a submarine chaser.
At the conclusion of the program, the Legion will have a BBQ lunch of burgers and hot dogs. The Sons of the Legion and Legion Auxiliary will prepare the meal. A small donation will be requested for the lunch that includes lemonade or water. Representatives of the Legion, Sons of the American Legion, and Auxiliary will have a membership table at the entrance for those interested in learning more about these organizations and or joining the Legion family.
