Santa Maria honored veterans in the city and across the country on Wednesday at a Veterans Day ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the city’s Freedom Monument Veterans Memorial.

A plaque was dedicated to fallen Cpl. Kenneth Stanley Adams, who grew up in Santa Maria and graduated from Santa Maria High School before serving in the Vietnam War. On Thanksgiving Day in 1967, he was killed at age 22.

The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted the event. Dave Cross, an Army veteran and co-founder of the Freedom Monument, was the master of ceremonies.

“This is a day we honor our veterans, whether you served in wartime or peacetime, and many of you served during times of conflict. You are the reason we enjoy the freedom, and we want to thank you for your service,” Cross said.

The ceremony began with the Santa Maria Youth Choir singing traditional songs such as “Salute to the Armed Forces,” asking veterans and loved ones to stand for their respective military branches.

Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino, who called herself a “proud Army brat,” reflected on her experience growing up with parents in the military.

“Seeing the Stars and Stripes makes me feel very proud,” Patino said. “Living on an Army base, as I had most of my life, I would wake up to Reveille and running home for dinner when I’d hear ‘Taps.’”

The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Freedom Monument co-founder and Army veteran Bob Hatch, distinguished himself in the Vietnam War, receiving numerous awards for valor. He spoke about the struggles a veteran may go through, saying that while veterans are often recognized for their service, they can often feel lost in their current lives.

“You can have a full calendar and still miss having a mission. You can be surrounded by people and still get alone. When the applause ends, that’s what many, many veterans go home to — loneliness,” Hatch said. 

Following Hatch’s speech, St. Mary of the Assumption School eighth-grader Destiny Torres Vivanco read aloud her winning Freedom Monument essay, recognizing sailor Loretta Perfectus Walsh and former President George H.W. Bush as impactful veterans.

“It is important to recognize and honor their sacrifices and accomplishments, because without them, our country would not be the way it is today,” Vivanco concluded.

After her essay, eighth-graders from St. Mary read 114 names honored at the Freedom Monument, citing veterans who served starting from World War I.

Afterward, the audience was asked to stand for a final salute for veterans who had not received one at their own ceremonies, as well as a firing party and “Taps.”

Once the ceremony concluded, Cross unveiled the plaque for Cpl. Adams.

Just an hour later, Michael B. Clayton & Associates hosted a barbecue at the Veterans Memorial Community Center. It included a car show and a Pioneer Valley High School marching band performance. Meals were free for veterans and families and $10 for everyone else, with proceeds going to Healing Heroes Through Horsemanship, which employs veterans.

The barbecue’s master of ceremonies, John Glines, called for veterans to receive the same level of care every day, not just Veterans Day.

“This is the way every single day should be for veterans, in my opinion. We love our veterans,” Glines said. “God bless you. Thank you so very much for your service.”

Additionally, the Rotary Club of Santa Maria hosted a field of honor ceremony, including a civic address from Patino, veteran speakers and a field of honor dedication from Deputy Fire Chief Shane Brown and Police Chief Christopher Williams.