LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. – Tuesday is Veterans Day.
It’s a time when communities gather to say thank you.
In the Lehigh Valley, ceremonies and discussions are starting early.
“Every branch of the military is represented,” said Dr. Baligh Yehia, who serves as the president of Jefferson Health.
At Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township, the 13th Annual Veterans Day Recognition Ceremony kicked off with a morning of reflection for those who traveled near and far.
“We have some music that’s playing, we have some stories that are going to be shared, and then different speakers that are going to be honoring our veterans,” Yehia explained. “This is my first time speaking here, which I’m very honored to be part of.”
This year’s keynote speaker is Yehia.
It’s a role he’s using to give back to those who left their mark.
“The VA holds a very special part in my life. As a medical student, I got my learning done at the VA in Florida, so veterans and their families play a very important role in my life, personally,” said Yehia.
In Bethlehem, retired U.S. Marine Colonel Frank Gunter is guiding similar discussions with his own experiences.   
“50 years ago, when I enlisted, everybody knew somebody that was in the military,” said Gunter. “There’s very few of them left, so we don’t have the understanding of what life is like in the military service anymore. “
Inside the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas at the ArtsQuest Center, the morning marked the beginning of more conversations to come.
“People will knock on my door for the next two days just to say hi and thanks. And that means something to have the community that you’re now in accepting that you’re a veteran,” added Gunter.