The word “veteran” means many different things to many different people. For Patti Mainz, veterans share a common trait: they “live to give.”
Mainz, owner of Black Coffee Rifle Co. in downtown Boerne, spoke of, and to, veterans Monday during the city’s Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Plaza.
While never having served in the military herself, Mainz and Black Rifle Coffee cater to veterans, who make up a sizable segment of her customer base.
“I was, and am, in awe of the brave and men and women who have served our country protecting the freedom and values we hold dear,” Mainz said. “Veterans Day is not just a time to reflect on the past; but also acknowledge the present, how veterans continue to shape the fabric of our society in such profound ways.” Mainz — whose family roots run deep in Boerne’s past, as one of the founding 100 families of Boerne — is a member of the city’s Historic Landmark Commission and has served with veterans on the commission and in other public and private ventures.
“I have been involved with several veteran groups. A common thread to all, is that they live to give,” she said. “While I may not have worn the uniform, I see and feel the impact of your service in every corner of this country.” Veterans are the teachers, the doctors, the leaders and the neighbors right here in this community, she said, as they are nationwide.
“We may never be able to walk in your boots or fully grasp what it means to serve,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean we don’t deeply appreciate what you’ve done for us.
“We have a responsibility not just today, but every day, to honor your service through action and by teaching the next generation what true patriotism looks like,” she added.
Mainz closed by thanking veterans for their service, their courage and their commitment to the country. “And may we honor your sacrifice and strive to live in a way that reflects the values you fought to protect,” she said.
Ceremony emcee and American Legion Post 313 Commander Dan Weis told of Capt. Mark Tyler Voss, the post’s namesake, and his sacrifice, having lost his life in service in 2013 in Kyrgyzstan during a combat refueling mission that also claimed the lives of two other crew members.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 688 Commander Anthony White explained his organization’s 1936 beginning and of Private Bruno Phillip, for whom the post is named.
Phillip, a Boerne native, volunteered to serve as an infantryman in the U.S. Army during World War I. He was killed in action Sept. 3, 1918, during the Saint Mihiel Offensive in France.
Phillip is buried in the Boerne Cemetery.
The military songs for each branch of service were played, as those who served stood and saluted during their song while the branch flag climbed the Veterans Plaza flag poles.
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