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Peaceful veteran stand down will begin at 7 a.m.
By Lisa Rodgers
Reporter
BELVIDERE-In less than 24 hours a Facebook post has been shared over 300 times and still counting. What kind of post would draw this much attention and support?
Bryce Trevino is a Belvidere High School graduate Class of 2008. He served four years in the United States Marine Corps finishing his service as a Corporal. Bryce is the younger brother of Branden Ramey who was a Belvidere High School graduate Class of 2001 and also a Marine. Three days before Veterans Day Lance Corporal Branden Ramey was killed on Monday, Nov. 8, 2004 while serving his country in Iraq.
On Oct. 30 Bryce Trevino posted the following on his Facebook page.
“CALLING ON ALL VETERANS!! PLEASE LIKE AND SHARE …
To all veterans and all supporters:
District 100 of Belvidere Illinois has decided to be disgraceful and disrespectful by NOT allowing the students Veterans Day off for the first time in decades. This now means that the Veterans Day parade is cancelled, the parade in which we HONOR all veterans. This is a day where we should be showing students to put all differences aside and come together as a community.
We cannot allow this type of action to continue in our community! TAKE A STAND and show your support against this decision! On the date of Wednesday November 11th we can take stand outside of the Belvidere High School along East Avenue. We will show the kids that we are here for them and proudly stand for the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice and those continuing to serve! PEACEFUL VETERAN STAND DOWN WILL BEGIN AT 0700
Show that you are proud of your veterans and proud of your country!
We cannot allow this kind of action to continue in our community. TAKE A STAND and show your support against this decision. On the date of Wednesday Nov. 11 we can take stand outside of the Belvidere High School along East Avenue. We will show the kids we are here for them and proudly stand for the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice and those continuing to serve! PEACEFUL VETERAN STAND DOWN WILL BEGIN AT 0700. Show that you are proud of your veterans and proud of your country.”
Ryan H. Curry is friends with Bryce Trevino. Ryan served 12 years in the United States Marine Corps and reached the rank of Sergeant. He became disabled after being injured in 2006 while serving his country in Iraq. Ryan is a Belvidere High School graduate Class of 1998 and has been friends with Branden Ramey and his family for many years.
“Semperfi-‘Always Faithful’. That’s what we are in the Marines,” Curry said. “The ‘Peaceful Veteran Stand Down’ and I want to emphasize ‘peaceful’ is not just about Branden, but for all our Veterans here locally and across this nation. I don’t want our community and my hometown where I grew up fading away from remembering our Veterans. I give Bryce all the credit. It was his idea.”
“It’s crazy how fast it took off and so much support has already been given,” Bryce Trevino said. “I disapprove of the decision for Belvidere Schools to be in session on Veterans Day. As a result, the Veterans Day Parade has been cancelled and will have only a minimal amount of students from the high school bands in attendance. I served and had a brother who served and was killed in action in Iraq. We are also Belvidere High School Alumni. His funeral was held in the Belvidere High School gym. I find the decision by Belvidere School District 100 and the Belvidere Educators Association to be offensive.”
“This is not a gathering to protest or run a picket line. Instead, we want to show the students that we are standing in honor, holding flags in support of them as students and also for our Veterans. I would like to see our Belvidere/Boone County Community defend their Veterans as we have defended them by joining us Nov. 11 at Belvidere High School at 0700 or 7:00 a.m.,” Trevino added.
“I want Belvidere School District 100 and the Belvidere Educators Association (BEA) to see how much the community disapproves of their decision to be in session come November 11th rather than honoring a Federal Holiday set purposely aside for our veterans,” Trevino said.
“It is an embarrassment to say the least that we even have to go through this. Veterans Day should be the top priority day that students have off! They should be able to observe those men and women walk down State Street in their parade in Belvidere. The parade is to not only honoring the living but honoring those who are no longer with us. Together, as only a community should.”
Belvidere High School is located at 1500 East Ave. in Belvidere.
