More than 20 people were at the wreath laying at Queens Village’s Veterans Park on Memorial Day, Monday.

During the event, Councilwoman Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens) spoke about the Korean War and how it led to her family immigrating to the United States.

“There is a lot of history” here, said Lee, as she looked at the park’s memorial. “As this monument says, ‘These men died to keep you living without fear,’ and the without fear part struck me.”

Lee went on to tell the crowd that individuals have to be the voice that unites the community.

“There’s a lot happening,” she continued. “Yes, we have all of our differences of opinions, but the point is that we have the freedom to express our opinions, and that would not have happened unless those who came before us fought for those freedoms.”

Rich Hellenbrecht, first vice chair of Community Board 13, said it is critical to come out every year to honor those who fought for people’s freedoms.

“It is a tremendous honor to come back here and remember everything that has happened that brought us to the point we are today,” Hellenbrecht said. “We should all know what that history was.”

Nagassar Ramgarib, president of the Queens Village Civic Association, a co-host of the event, led a moment of silence for the group. The other co-host is American Legion Post 301.

Some of the retired military members recognized at the event included Col. Ricky Semple of the U.S. Army, who also served in the Army Reserve, from 1978 to 2020; NYPD Capt. Douglas Moodie, commanding officer of the 105th Precinct, who served in the Marines from 2002 to 2007; Susan López, who served in the U.S. Army National Guard from 2001 to 2015, and played taps on her trumpet during the event; and Chris Trofemuk of the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve from 1969 to 1993.

Trofemuk, who was born in Woodhaven and raised and currently resides in Queens Village, told the Chronicle that in his youth he dropped out of Pace University, formerly Pace College, because accounting didn’t agree with him and decided to join the Navy during the Vietnam War.

“I did two years in Pace College,” said Trofemuk. “My father was a chief gunner’s mate in the Navy.”

Trofemuk said he was two years on the carrier USS Shangri-La.

After he finished his service, he joined the United States Postal Service and worked as a letter carrier for 34 years, 28 along Nautical Mile in Freeport, LI, until 2010.

Other elected officials at the event were state Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky (D-College Point) and Assemblyman David Weprin (D- Fresh Meadows).

“We have a lot of veterans of different wars,” Weprin told the Chronicle. “It is great that they continue the tradition of always having this ceremony on Memorial Day. … It is nice that we have this tradition to always recognize our veterans, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be free.”

Moh Ishmael, treasurer of the civic, said the event was nice and thanked God, that the weather held up so folks could honor the fallen.

“It’s a tribute that we must always pay,” Ishmael added.