The new Veterans Memorial Garden at the Center for Older Adults, 800 Cheshire Road, will serve as a "great reminder" of all veterans have done and will do for the people of this country, U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi told the hundreds gathered at the Nov. 11 dedication ceremony.

The Memorial Garden surrounds a flag pole in an oval at the entrance to the senior center and includes brick pavers dedicated to local veterans, plus flowers and shrubs, benches and a stone marker.

On the marker are these words: "Remembering those who defend our freedom; All gave some, some gave all; Honoring veterans past, present and future."

The memorial was the brainchild of two members of the Raymond B. Austin American Legion Post 115 in Delaware, John R. Smith and Bill Sheehy. When the center asked if they would help move the flagpole from a side entrance to the front, both men agreed. But they didn't stop there, Smith told the audience. They wanted a true memorial for those who chose to defend this country.

The post paid to install the memorial, with the money raised from the sale of bricks going for improvements to the center.

The dedication ceremony began indoors.

After choral music from the center's chorus, The Golden Notes, post chaplain the Rev. John Quist told the gathering the ceremony went beyond the memorial.

"We are here to honor our veterans, living and dead, of every year and all armed forces including those killed and injured at Fort Hood last week," he said.

Before he read a proclamation from the county, commission president Tommy Thompson said veterans should be honored not only on Nov. 11. "We need to think about our veterans every day, honor our veterans every day for what they do and what they've done for us. If it wasn't for that, where would we be?"

Delaware mayor Windell Wheeler also presented a proclamation from the city.

"When we go outside I ask you to look at the bricks surrounding the (flagpole) as being the foundation of our abilities to continue today to proudly display and fly that flag," he said.

"So many people, thank God, across communities like ours ... are doing what we are doing today, celebrating and honoring our veterans, reminding our children and grandchildren of the men and women who are no longer with us who fought in wars long ago, in wars not so long ago and wars today in defense of our freedom and our liberties," Tiberi said.

"It's ceremonies like this that remind us of what great sacrifices those men and women, past and present who put on a uniform, made to protect our way of life," he continued.

"This memorial stands as a great reminder for those who gave so much and for those who gave it all. Our gratitude goes to them, our thanks go to them and this memorial will be yet another reminder of how thankful we are."

Three men, representing the past, present and future veterans, also spoke to the audience, with Smith representing the past, Delaware City police Sgt. Ramon Diaz, who just returned from a tour in Afghanistan as a member of the National Guard, representing the present, and retiring ROTC Lt. Col. Russ Anible representing the future.

Before the group went outside to see the flag raised by ROTC cadets from Delaware Hayes High School, and watch the ribbon cut to formally dedicate the memorial garden, the Delaware County Veterans Services honored three men with the 2009 Outstanding Veterans Award: LeRoy (Andy) Anderson, Henry Banks and Lewis Banks.