By David Taylor
It’s become one of the North Channel Area Chamber of Commerce’s beloved annual programs because it touches the heart of the community.
For more than a decade, the chamber has set aside the Thursday before or on Veteran’s Day to show their appreciation for veterans and first-responders in the community. Thursday’s program was a little more poignant.
“That morning, we learned that a firefighter was killed in the line of duty,” said Chamber Board Chairman Bill Palko.
Houston firefighters Marcelo Garcia and Shane Cox entered a burning warehouse to put out the flames on Wednesday night around 11. Garcia was killed when a wall collapsed on top of him. A woman has been charged in his death allegedly for starting the fire.
“That’s the reason we have a ‘Salutes’ every year. To remember those who sacrificed and who serve us every day,” Palko said.
Palko explained it’s also a business Expo with businesses showing off their wares but the focus in the program is clearly on veterans and first responders.
“We give them a free meal, goodie bags, we have a couple of drawings every year,” he said.
One of those drawings is for a beautiful, patriotic quilt that was created by Palko’s wife Debbie.
“She’s done this now for the last three years,” Palko said.
During the ceremony, there is a recognition of all the various service branches with music and this year included the n e w l y c r e a t e d S p a c e Force.
The North Shore Rotary Club passes out goodie bags to the veterans at the end of the program. They receive help from the Channelview High School Rotaract Club who pack them up the morning of the Salute.
“They stuff the bags for us right there outside the reception hall and then we take five of them with us downtown to the Veterans Hospital,” Palko said.
A bus is secured from Precinct 2 and they deliver 75 bags to unsuspecting veterans who are hospitalized.
“They have no idea that we’re coming, and we show up and they have no idea who we are. We explain that we’re a service organization and we’re there to tell them thank you for their service to us and to our nation,” he said.
“It makes you feel good and it’s especially good for those Interact students because they usually don’t really have any connection and when they see how appreciative they are, it’s powerful,” Palko said.
Palko is a proud U.S. Army veteran.
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