Area residents line streets to welcome vets
May 17 was a special day at the Humble Civic Center. More than 200 wounded veterans
of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were treated to a dinner before proceeding the next morning to a Warrior’s Weekend annual fishing event. The weekend at Port O’Connor, Texas, honors veterans from across the country with a weekend of fishing and relaxation. This year more than 600 veterans from all 50 states participated. City of Humble volunteers and organizations hosted those who arrived at Houston Intercontinental Airport on Thursday evening.
After a bus ride through local neighborhoods with streets lined with cheering supporters, the vets entered the Civic Center, where they were served a dinner of great Texas food – all they could eat. It was a casual atmosphere, long on friendship and short on formalities. Ron Kocian, president of the Warrior’s Weekend organization, opened the function with the posting of the colors by Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables, followed by the national anthem. Jill Donahue’s beautiful rendition brought tears to the eyes of more than a few of the saluting vets.
Kocian said, “We have a lot of sponsors here tonight that helped put this event on, so let’s give them a big HOO-AH, HOO-AH!”
The veterans responded with an enthusiastic and deafeningly loud shout-out of the Army “HOO-AHs” and competing Marine “OOO-AHs.”
If the dinner was any indication, the rest of Warriors Weekend was one they will all warmly remember.
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