The Washburn University Student Services program held their annual Veterans Day ceremony Friday Nov. 11 at the Vietnam War memorial with the theme being “The Cost of Freedom.”

Jeanne Kessler, director of student services and veteran’s representative, said that this is a very important event for the Washburn community and she hopes it had a positive effect.

“I think the main reason we hold this ceremony is to help others remember. We don’t ever want to forget the service or the sacrifice,” said Kessler. “I hope it had a positive effect, one that says we care.”

Treasurer for the Chapter 604 Volunteer Association for Veteran Services (VAVS) and Marine Vietnam veteran Roland Mayhew said he agrees with Kessler and he thinks the ceremony is very helpful.

“It’s a real honor to salute our fallen veterans at Washburn,” said Mayhew. “It’s essential to the every day walk of life that people have one day out of the year to think about veterans. People need to realize the veterans are not forgotten and freedom is not free.”

The event kicked off with a cleansing and blessing of the memorial site by the Standing Bear Intertribal Brotherhood. Other events included a Posting of the Colors by Washburn employees and veterans, special music from Elliott Kidd, Lt. of the U.S. Navy, guest speaker Christian Kramer, the Junior Vice Commander of Disabled American Veterans Department of Kansas, bell tower tolls, a wreath placement for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force, a 21-gun salute and taps.