Annual Mahopac Veterans Day parade and ceremony held
The day honored local servicemembers and organizations in the community.
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Mahopac VFW Post 5491 and Mahopac American Legion Post 1080 held their annual Veteran's Day parade and ceremony on Tuesday.
The day honored local servicemembers and organizations in the community.
More than 100 people attended, such as James Dipelesi who served in World War II.
"When I was 16, I went into the Merch Marines. I lied about my age," he said.
Dipelesi says from a young age, he has always been patriotic and knew he wanted to serve.
"I joined the Navy. I ended up in Tokyo Bay at the surrender of World War II. It was something," he said.
At nearly 100 years of age, he goes to the Mahopac VFW Post 5491 in his free time.
He joined those in the community on Veteran's Day for both the Mahopac VFW Post 5491 and Mahopac American Legion Post 1080's annual Veterans Day parade and ceremony.
"I feel it's always important to celebrate our veterans, not just on Veteran's Day, not just on Memorial Day, but every day," said Mahopac VFW Post 5491 Quartermaster Anthony Delduco. "Veterans are still fighting PTSD, certain injuries, so they need our support."
He says the event has been in the community for around 76 years.
James Rathschmidt, who also attended the parade, lives and works by this statement everyday.
He is the co-founder of Mahopac-based nonprofit "United for the Troops."
The organization accepts donations year-round to send packaged goods to American servicemembers abroad.
"It started with our son when he was in Iraq and he told us there were many men and women over there that had nothing," said Rathschmidt.
Since it began 18 years ago, Rathschmidt says the nonprofit has sent more than 36,000 boxes.
To learn more about United for the Troops, click here https://unitedforthetroops.org/
