'This day is all about veterans'

Before a Santa Rosa city worker showed up late with a key to unlock the City Hall flagpole, the 100 people gathered for a Veterans Day ceremony were ready to work around it.

"There's still a flag up there. We'll still be able to honor the flag," said John Crooker, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 223.

"This day is all about veterans. Veterans coming together makes it happen," Crooker said, starting the annual Santa Rosa City Hall ceremony.

But at the last minute the key holder appeared and the Vietnam veterans honor guard was able to conduct a ceremony that included lowering, then raising the flag.

James Cutri played the bugle call "To the Colors," as the crowd watched the guard raise a faded and somewhat tattered Stars and Stripes in front of a curtain of colorful liquidambar leaves.

The event was at the city's Veterans Memorial, on the edge of City Hall. Veterans filled the crowd, some in uniform and others wearing a cap or hat designating their military affiliation.

Dave Budworth, a longtime Sebastopol and Santa Rosa resident, came for the ceremony, saying he always makes sure to attend something on Veterans Day.

"As you get older, they mean more to you," said Budworth, who served in the Korean War in the Navy Seabees.

Crooker listed off wars and asked for a show of hands by those who served.

"I want to thank you for your service," Crooker told the group. "I served and I'm proud I served."

A sunrise flag-raising ceremony started the day honoring veterans at Juilliard Park near downtown Santa Rosa.

Members of the American Legion Post 21 and Cub Scout Pack 134 gathered to retire old colors and post a new flag. About 30 people attended the ceremony.

The Cub Scouts were a new addition to the early-morning event.

"I'd invited their pack to come and help me with the flag ceremony, to teach them to honor and respect their flag and how to retire the old colors that are faded and worn," said John De Biase, commander of the Santa Rosa American Legion post.

"We were very happy and honored to have those young guys come out, and their families, at the crack of dawn to get this done," he said.

At the later Santa Rosa ceremony, after veterans in the audience realized how tattered the flag was, several people vowed to ask the city if they could replace it.

"That one is beat. It shouldn't be flying at all," said Cutri.You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.