Bouligny Plaza played host to a meetup for Iberia Parish’s veterans, first responders and public officials Thursday afternoon for the Iberia Veterans Association’s annual Veterans Day ceremony held at the plaza.

Along with honoring those who have served in the U.S. military, President Leslie Landry said the event was also partly held to dedicate the Liberty Bell replica that was recently installed in Bouligny Plaza.

“Today we’re honoring our veterans and we’ll be dedicating the bell which was placed as the centerpiece of the monument,” Landry said.

The event included a presentation of the U.S., Louisiana and POW/MIA flags to the front of Bouligny Plaza near the gazebo as well as the singing of the national anthem and other traditional parts of the ceremony.

Local veteran Johnny Hebert spoke about the meaning of the holiday and what being a U.S. veteran means to those who have served.

“We come on another occasion to celebrate Memorial Day where we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and dedicate that service to their memory,” Hebert said.

“Today we honor the living. That’s why I want to salute those of you that have made that sacrifice so we can all come where to honor those that are willing to do that.”

Quoting a description he had found, Hebert said that a veteran was someone who “wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America to the amount up to his or her life.”

“There are way too many people in this country today that do not understand that fact,” Hebert said. “I hope I never get to the point where I’m never appreciative of people that understood what that sacrifice meant in being a veteran.”

The event also honored Shelton Berard, a Korean War veteran who was said to be in a Buffalo Soldier unit during the Korean War.

“Mr. Shelton Berard was a United States Army Buffalo Soldier who has never been recognized until today,” Olenna Arrington said. “I get chills whenever I say that.”

Berard said remembering the Buffalo Soldiers have been a proud part of his life and he was thankful for being remembered during the ceremony.

“I’ve often heard people say that we may have a war with a certain country,” he said. “I like to remind them we’ve already been at war with that country.”

A volley salute and several songs were part of the event, and the ceremony eventually closed after public officials and local veterans were recognized.