By Cerritos Mayor Jim Edwards
The City of Cerritos will hold a Memorial Day Ceremony to honor the fallen heroes of the United States Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending our nation’s freedom. I would like to encourage you to attend the ceremony, which will be held on Monday, May 28 near the beautiful Cerritos Veterans Memorial in the Cerritos Civic Center.
The City’s Memorial Day Ceremony will begin with prelude music performed by the Cerritos College Concert Band at 9:45 a.m. and the ceremony will start at 10 a.m. We will be honored to have the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion (1st CEB) present the colors.
A featured speaker will be Mary Quinteros Tallouzi from Warriors Speak, a program offered by the Wounded Warrior Project. Warriors Speak is a prestigious group of wounded warriors and caregivers who share inspirational stories of courage, perseverance, recove
ry and growth. Ms. Quinteros Tallouzi’s son, Staff Sergeant Daniel Tallouzi, was severely injured while serving in Iraq in 2006 and he passed away from his injuries in 2009. She said: “As a caregiver I experienced the loss of a son and a profound change of life. The military has been a part of our family since the Korean War. I’m proud of Daniel’s admiration for our family legacy, and we’re honored that he now walks among the eternal warriors who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.”
The Memorial Day Ceremony will also include a presentation by Operation: Blocks for the Brave. The 1st CEB will present the Battlefield Cross Ceremony and lay a wreath in honor of Corporal Alex Martinez. Corporal Martinez was killed in action while providing close combat engineer support to the Marines of the Second Battalion 5th Marine Regiment in northern Helmand Province. Corporal Martinez was on his second deployment to Afghanistan, fighting the war on terror during Operation Enduring Freedom. Wreaths will also be placed by the Artesia-Cerritos Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1846; the Southern California Philippine-United States Veterans Association; family members of Lieutenant Colonel Mario Carazo, USMC, a fallen Cerritos hometown hero; and the City of Cerritos.
After the ceremony light refreshments will be served and information booths will be offered by the Friends of the 1st CEB, Wounded Warrior Project, Cerritos College Veteran’s Resource Center, Cerritos College Student Veterans Club and the Blocks for the Brave Quilting Group.
I hope to see you at the Memorial Day Ceremony, and I encourage Cerritos residents to display an American flag on Memorial Day in honor of the men and women who have given their lives defending the United States of America. For more information about the ceremony, contact the City’s Community Participation Division at (562) 865-8101. If you would like to help our nation’s troops, please consider becoming a volunteer for the 1st CEB. For information, call President of the 1st CEB Adoption Committee Dorothy Owen at (562) 926-1092.
As always, I encourage Cerritos residents to call me at City Hall at (562) 860-0311 or to send me an e-mail through the City’s website at cerritos.us and share your suggestions, concerns and questions. I am pleased to talk with Cerritos residents and work with you toward the betterment of our wonderful community.
