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In the ceremony for Veterans Day for the facility's residents, New Canaan resident Peter Langenus, a veteran of the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, was joined by New Canaan Police Chief Leon Krolikowski, a Marine who served in Desert Storm.
They were joined by trumpeter Don Gels of New Canaan, who played the instrument while serving in the Navy during the mid-1950s, and Hans Christensen from Westport, who joined them to sing the "Star-Spangled Banner."
“It’s terrific, terrific,” Langenus said about visiting the seniors who are veterans. “You can see the pride that comes over their faces and the recognition especially when the song of the branch of service that they served in is played. You can just see the recognition. Sometimes clouds disappear and everything is copacetic.”
During the short ceremony, Gels played the official songs of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard as well as the "Call to Assembly" and "Taps" at the conclusion of the service.
Langenus spoke of his time in Vietnam and the important role that nurses played for him and his fellow soldiers.
Krolikowski read a letter from a woman whose son graduated from a private school and decided to join the Marines instead of following the path to university of his schoolmates.
Among the veterans was Don Charhut, who served in the U.S. Army in the 1950s and was stationed in West Germany.
His daughter, Christinia Fagerstal, of New Canaan said she was touched by the event.
"I think it was just fantastic," she said after the event while standing beside her father. "My father played the trumpet, and it meant a lot to him."
She's a friend to Krolikowski, and he said they went to the facility because they wanted to honor her father.
It was the fourth stop of the day at senior facilities for the men, who wanted to reach out to their fellow veterans. Krolikowski said it’s important to remember those who served the country.
“It’s the right thing to do to honor those who are veterans here and to remind everybody what Veterans Day is all about,” he said.
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