A week after near-record numbers of Mainers cast ballots, the nation celebrated the men and women who have sacrificed to ensure that right exists. Veterans Day is celebrated every year on November 11th, in remembrance of the end of hostilities on that date in 1918, which concluded World War I.

Fanfare and hoopla tied to the election seemed to fade quickly; it certainly left celebrations and activities around Veterans Day to pale in comparison.

The Lewiston-Auburn community is fortunate to have several active veterans groups that coordinate events such as the Memorial Day parade, Veterans Day activities and, of course, tend to the development of memorials throughout the community to honor those that have served and those that have made the ultimate sacrifice.

If we looked back at the history of events recognizing veterans, as far back as the Civil War, we would probably note dwindling members of the public at such events. From the days when streets were lined with thousands to dedicate monuments like the Civil War statue in front of the Androscoggin County building, what has led to the shift in attention demonstrated by relatively smaller numbers?

Perhaps, with our busy lives and busy schedules, it is easy to become complacent while enjoying the freedoms and luxuries this country affords us. Perhaps, even though we are currently at war in countries thousands of miles away, the level of sacrifice asked of citizens is not nearly what it was during the monumental world wars of the 20th century.

Regardless of reason, there are opportunities in our community to recognize and celebrate the service of veterans, not only on this designated day in November, but throughout the year.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of veterans in the Lewiston-Auburn region, public gathering places have been created that honor those who have served; the most visible is likely Veteran’s Memorial Park in Lewiston, with its monuments and benches bearing the names of local residents involved in all of this nation’s wars.

Beyond that, Kennedy Park is adorned with a Civil War memoriall; another exists, as mentioned earlier, near the county building. There are numerous other public spaces that highlight the connection this community has to the sacrifices collectively made in the United State to ensure our freedoms are secure.

With the hard work of organizations such as the Lewiston-Auburn Veteran’s Council, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and countless others, our community have permanent remembrances of those sacrifices and more should be done to make sure all residents and visitors know where these places are located.

It is fun to debate beverage taxes, casinos in Maine, and sling mud at political adversaries, but amid all that drama of campaigns, we too often overlook the uniqueness of this level of political freedom. By overlooking how special our freedoms really are, do we overlook what it took to gain those freedoms and what it costs to keep them?

Veterans Day has come and gone this year, but that doesn’t mean we cannot take opportunities to say thank you to those we see in military uniforms.

And those local veterans who have volunteered thousands of hours and raised significant amounts of money to invest in public places to keep all of our veterans on our mind? Let’s be sure to thank them too.

Jonathan LaBonte, of New Auburn, is a columnist for the Sun Journal. E-mail: [email protected].