November 6, 2008 - U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty helped honor American veterans at the North Colonie Central School District’s seventh annual Veterans Day Celebration last night in the Shaker High School auditorium.

Rep. McNulty, who has served on the House Armed Services Committee, is retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives after 20 years representing much of the Capital Region.

The ceremony featured the Wall of Remembrance, which includes the names of more than 1,000 Colonie veterans who served in various wars, including the Great War and the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Colonie Town Supervisor Paula Mahan lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and discussed the town's Veterans History and Memorial Projects.

Prior to the ceremony, a reception with light refreshments was held from in the LaFollette Dining Room at Shaker High and featured music by Capitaland Chorus, an Albany-based, all female a cappella group.

The ceremony was organized by the Shaker High School World of Difference Club, which raised $500 for the Colonie Veterans Memorial.

Adam Morgan, a member of the World of Difference Club, is a Shaker 12th-grader who has several family members currently serving in the Navy and National Guard.

“These veterans deserve to be represented, honored, and remembered for as long as possible,” Morgan said. “Only those who have served truly know the sacrifice that they've made, so the least we can do is to commemorate them and thank them for their efforts in protecting what we know and love about this country.”

Parker Armsby, a Shaker 12th-grader, is also a member of the club.

“The first step in looking toward our future is looking to our past. What our veterans have done makes our nation what it is. We owe a great deal to them," Armsby said.