George Willis holds a stack of cards from children, left, while

Dallas Jones bows his head for the invocation.

Not only Veterans Day, but the second anniversary of the Dallas Jones Roanoke Valley Veterans Center was celebrated at Becker Village Mall today.

Jones, a Pearl Harbor survivor, said his dream was to have some way of remembering veterans. “My first thought was to do something about it, to tell their stories.”

In its second year, its members are committed to improving the center, Jones said, through events like a fly in and the county fair. “The American Legion Post 38 gives us a monthly stipend. We can’t thank the American Legion enough. We anticipate some day we may have to pay our rent.”

Eugene Bryant pays respect to a wreath, left, while the flag is folded.

Retired Air Force Brigadier General David L. Johnson explained the history of Veterans Day, from it originally being Armistice Day to a three-day holiday for federal employees and back to a single day, November 11, to remember all veterans.

“It’s a chance to recognize all veterans of all wars,” Johnson told the audience. “We have some 25 million living veterans. Today we honor all no matter where they served.”

Veterans, Johnson explained, “Serve because we want to be true to our principles. We owe veterans the very life we live today.”

Johnson said America needs to show care and commitment to its veterans and to continue to provide healthcare and mental healthcare to them.

“Americans do not celebrate war,” he said. “We celebrate the honor of commitment of those who served and should be grateful to those who took that pledge.”

George Willis, president of the center, showed a stack of letters from school children to veterans. “I hope you all get to see your family,” one from a Gaston Elementary School student said.

Willis said the center, “Tries to educate and reflect on the memory of veterans. We’re losing 1,500 veterans a day. We need to thank a veteran for where we are.”