The American flag was the focus of last Friday’s Veterans Day celebration inside Briarcliffe Manor in Johnston. Corinne Elwell of Briarcliffe’s Activity Department coordinated the Veterans Day’s ceremony at the rehabilitation and nursing home located off Old Pocasset Road.

Elwell invited members of the Lymansville VFW Post 10011 to headline the event that featured the proper way to fold and display an American flag. Four members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization attended to assist eight veterans who call the facility home.

“They did a superb job,” said Elwell. “It was especially fitting that two men came dressed in Army garb.”

The Lymansville contingent included Tim Ross, Mike Oldrid, Mark McGrath and Jim Geyer, all of whom are veterans, and who presented each of the Briarcliffe resident veterans a special citation in recognition of their great service to the country.

Eldrid, who is a trustee at the Lymansville Post, and McGrath performed the proper unfolding and folding of the American flag while Ross and Geyer also had parts in the emotion-pitched ceremony. McGrath, an Advocate and Trustee at the VFW Post, also heads the unit’s color guard.

Briarcliffe Manor resident Emilio Iasimone, who served in the United States Army and is 100 years old, was honored, as were Ernie Berndt, John Galligan, Charles Mitchell and Ernie Rathbun, United States Army; Norman Levesque and Vincent Didonato, U.S. Navy; and Andre Lapre, U.S. Air Force. Cutllines for pix on sheets slugged 11-11-16 1332

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CORRIINE’S CREW:

Corrine Elwell (center) is all smiles while joining these four residents at Briarcliffe Manor who were among the veterans honored last Friday. (Sun Rise photos by Pete Fontaine) BRIAR 2 IMG 3533

SERVICE STAFF:

Lymansville VFW Post 10011 officials Tim Ross, Mike Oldrid, Mark McGrath and Jim Geyer flank Briarcliffe Manor Assistant Activities Director Corrine Elwell during Friday’s special salute to veterans living at the Johnston facility.