University pays tribute to soldiers in joint Veterans Day celebration with City of Palo Alto

Rep. Anna Eshoo, who represents the 16th district in the U.S. House of Representatives, which includes Stanford, emphasized the importance of honoring Americans who have served in the military at a joint Veterans Day celebration held by Stanford and the City of Palo Alto.

The event, titled “A Legacy of Loyalty and Service” was held on Monday in the historic MacArthur Park building and drew around 60 community members. The celebration featured keynote speeches from Rep. Eshoo and Palo Alto City Council Member ​​Ed Lauing, as well as a musical performance by Stanford music lecturer Nova Jimenez.

Rep. Eshoo took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly restored flagpole which commemorates former members of the armed services.

 “It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every American that wears the uniform of our country, who has served our country, is then served and appreciated by the rest of us,” she said in a speech. 

The venue, MacArthur Park, was was originally a recreation facility for soldiers training at the nearby Camp Fremont during World War I. As a “Hostess House,” it was a designated place for women and children to visit family members serving in the military.

The event’s guest of honor, World War II U.S. Navy veteran Ernestine Faxon, said the location is especially meaningful — her father was a lieutenant in the Army, and she has many fond memories of playing there. 

Donna Zolezzi, president of South Bay Blue Star Moms, gifted a quilt to Faxon on behalf of the program. The organization, which consists of mothers of soldiers, worked together to hand-sew the quilt.

 “Seeing this woman, who is 101 years old, stand up and receive her quilt, and being able to wrap it around her… was just wonderful,” Zolezzi said. 

Jimenez performed the song “Mother America,” which was written by her father, a former Marine who served in the Korean War. Jimenez said music was her father’s way of expressing his feelings about his time in the armed forces. 

“I still hear his words and I still remember how much he loved our country,” Jimenez said. 

During the interview, Jimenez teared up at the memory of her father. She said she thought she might cry during the performance, but she ultimately pushed through because she believes music is a force for healing and connection. Jimenez currently teaches the course MUSIC 183G: “Sing & Be Well: Exploring and Integrating Wellness Through Singing.”

“I think in this world and in this time, we feel so helpless… But my voice is my power,” Jimenez said. 

Zolezzi highlighted the significance of Veteran’s Day to military families.

“It’s hard when your son or daughter is deployed… We think about them all the time,” she said. However, the support of the other military mothers in the Blue Star Moms is a source of comfort. “We have our sisterhood… we’re there for each other,” she said.

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