A Community Comes Together to Honor Those Who Served
PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Twenty years after the dedication of the El Dorado County Veterans Monument, the community will gather Wednesday, Nov. 11, to honor America’s veterans and recognize the men and women whose service helped preserve the nation’s freedoms.
The annual Veterans Day ceremony, titled “The American Spirit of Gratitude,” begins at 11 a.m. at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument, 360 Fair Lane in Placerville.
This year’s commemoration carries two important milestones: the 250th anniversary of America’s founding in 1776 and the 20th anniversary of the Veterans Monument, which was dedicated on Nov. 11, 2006.
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors approved a Veterans Day proclamation recognizing veterans and confirmed ceremonies on both the west and east slopes of the county. The county specifically invited the public to attend the Placerville ceremony and a second ceremony at the American Legion Hall in South Lake Tahoe.
The Placerville ceremony is organized under the oversight of the El Dorado County Veterans Alliance, also known as Friends of the Veterans Monument, the nonprofit organization responsible for coordinating the monument’s Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies.
Military Honors and Community Participation
The ceremony will be led by Officer in Charge Capt. Jack Babbitt, U.S. Marine Corps, retired. Marine Corps Sgt. Tyler Dennis, representing the 12th Marine Corps Detachment and Placerville recruiting office, will serve as sergeant-at-arms.
Seth Culver, a U.S. Air Force veteran and commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Detachment 2680 in Placerville, will serve as master of ceremonies.
The Eugene L. Carnahan Civil Air Patrol Cadet Squadron 85 will present the colors.
Patriotic music will be provided by the Ponderosa High School Chamber Choir, under the direction of Craig Mason. The choir will perform the national anthem, service anthems and other patriotic selections.
Chaplain Lt. Col. Tim Thompson, U.S. Army, retired, will lead the invocation and benediction.
Representatives of local veterans organizations, including the American Legion, Marine Corps League and VFW, will participate in the Pledge of Allegiance. Local scouting organizations and youth groups will lead a parade of flags.
The program will also recognize two veterans through the unveiling of newly engraved memorial bricks:
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A2C Mark C. Kanter, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam War.
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E4 H.G. Lewis Jr., U.S. Navy, Vietnam War.
The additions will become part of the monument’s permanent recognition of El Dorado County veterans.
Hometown Heroes: Remembering 21 Who Never Came Home
One of the ceremony’s most meaningful presentations will recognize the work of Tucker Anderson, a local high school junior and six-year member of Boy Scout Troop 117.
Anderson is preparing for his Eagle Scout ceremony on Nov. 19. For his Eagle Scout service project, he chose to recognize El Dorado County veterans by designing and creating 62 individual Hometown Heroes banners, along with an accompanying website.
The banners are currently displayed along Main Street in Placerville, providing residents and visitors with a visible reminder of the local men and women who served their country.
Among the 62 honorees are 21 local service members who were killed in action. Their names are also reflected on the Vietnam War Memorial at the intersection of Bedford and Main streets in Placerville.
During the Veterans Day ceremony, Capt. Babbitt will lead a special presentation recognizing Anderson’s project and its contribution to the community.
The Hometown Heroes banners will subsequently be transferred into the care of local veterans organizations for future displays.
The project represents more than an Eagle Scout achievement. It creates a lasting connection between generations, ensuring that the sacrifices of local service members remain visible and remembered throughout the community.
Recognizing Those Who Continue to Serve
The American Spirit of Gratitude presentation, led by Culver, will recognize individuals who have devoted considerable time and volunteer service to the El Dorado County Veterans Monument during its 20-year history.
Two community members will receive special recognition.
Jon Brown, a U.S. Army veteran and El Dorado County Veterans Service Officer, will receive the Veteran of the Year award. Gary Campbell, a U.S. Air Force veteran, will present the award in recognition of Brown’s years of distinguished service to the county’s veteran community.
Stacie Walls will receive the Veterans Monument Service & Support Award.
Walls has spent decades serving local veterans through numerous organizations and community initiatives, including Placerville’s nationally recognized Toys for Tots campaign.
Her work recently received recognition from the Marine Corps and the National Toys for Tots Foundation, which honored her as the No. 1 local community organizer for the Toys for Tots program.
The awards highlight an important part of the Veterans Day observance: honoring not only those who wore the uniform but also the community members who continue to support veterans and their families.
County and City Proclamations
Official proclamations recognizing Veterans Day will be read on behalf of the California Department of Veterans Affairs, through Deputy Secretary Bill Feigles of the Home Loan Division; El Dorado County District 3 Supervisor Brian Veerkamp; and Placerville Mayor Nicole Gotberg.
The proclamations will recognize the contributions and sacrifices of America’s veterans and reaffirm the community’s commitment to honoring their service.
A Final Tribute: Wreaths, Rifles and Taps
As the ceremony moves toward its conclusion, attendees will witness several traditional military honors.
Capt. Babbitt will lead the wreath-laying ceremony. The wreath has been provided by Ponderosa High School FFA floral students, offering another example of local youth participating in the community’s tribute to veterans.
The El Dorado County Veterans Combined Honor Guard, with members representing American Legion Post 119, Marine Corps League Sgt. Sky Mote Detachment 697 and VFW Detachment 2680, will perform the traditional three-volley rifle salute.
Sgt. Rob Roy, U.S. Army, retired, will perform a bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
Vietnam veteran and Marine Corps bugler Victor Mansfield will then sound “Taps,” one of the military’s most solemn tributes to fallen service members.
Following the playing of “Taps,” Capt. Babbitt will oversee the retiring of the colors.
For those gathered at the monument, these traditions offer a moment to pause and reflect on the cost of military service and the lives forever changed by war.
Twenty Years of Remembrance
The El Dorado County Veterans Monument was dedicated on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2006. Since then, it has served as a permanent place of remembrance for veterans and their families.
The county identifies the monument at 360 Fair Lane in Placerville as a public memorial honoring the in-service accomplishments of U.S. military veterans. It is open to visitors daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The El Dorado County Veterans Alliance, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, oversees the monument’s ceremonies and improvements under its county-designated responsibilities. Its work also extends beyond the memorial through assistance to local veterans and their families, including scholarships, education support, aid for homeless veterans and other direct assistance.
As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, this year’s ceremony offers El Dorado County residents an opportunity to recognize the meaning of service, sacrifice and community gratitude.
Twenty years of remembrance at the monument. Two hundred and fifty years of American history. And generations of men and women who answered their country’s call.
On Nov. 11, the community will gather to say something that should never need to be said only once a year: Thank you for your service.
Event Details
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Event: The American Spirit of Gratitude — Veterans Day Ceremony
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Date: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026
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Time: 11 a.m.
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Location: El Dorado County Veterans Monument
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Address: 360 Fair Lane, Placerville, California
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Admission: Public welcome
