Honor, Thank, and Treasure our Veterans! By 1LT Melkarth John Raqueno, MSN/Ed, RN PNAH Assistant Secretary
In 1938, Armistice Day, now known as Veterans Day, was established as a federal holiday to HONOR and pay tribute to all Veterans who sacrificed and contributed so much to the preservation of our grateful nation. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, not only we do celebrate the Veterans of war, but also the Veterans of all military services. We THANK all service men and women, both past and present, for everything they have sacrificed for our freedom. We would like to formally and sincerely express our appreciation for their selfless service and contributions to our country. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the brave men and women in uniform who have served in times of war and times of peace since the founding of our nation.
How can we TREASURE our veterans? In what ways can we show and appreciate the veterans for the sacrifices that they have made? Philippine Nurses Association of Hawaii (PNAH) was
among the 83 groups that participated in the 76th Wahiawa Lions Veterans Parade on November 11, 2022. Wahiawa Lions Club hosted a fantastic event and this year’s theme was “We Treasure Our Veterans.” On the 1.5 miles parade, each group shared their ALOHA, smiled, and waved at the cheering crowds and to the judges with their “Mahalo Veterans” signs. There were Trophy winners awarded for the Best in Military Unit, JROTC School, Boy/Girl Scout, Co-Ed Scout, Marching Band, Community Organization, Lions Club, and Mahalo Sign. The winners were judged on 2 criteria: Appearance and Aloha Spirit. The event was indeed a special and memorable tribute to our treasured veterans. For the past years before the COVID-19 pandemic surge, PNAH stalled a First Aid booth for the event. PNAH members will participate again next year in the 77th Wahiawa Lions Veterans Parade.


