Page 14 - Mid Valley Times 9-19-19 E-edition

Thursday, September 19, 2019 | A14 | Heroes honored at Sanger
Mid Valley TiMes
Farmers' Market
By Dick Sheppard
Mid Valley Times
It was a bittersweet open- ing ceremony on Sept. 14 for the Sanger Farmers' Market's "Night of Champions."
Almost everyone struggled to hold back tears as former USMC Major Johnny Perez was honored. Perez, who had been very active in the com- munity after his retirement from the military, died unex- pectedly on Sept. 5.
Then, almost everyone laughed and cheered as Sa- mantha "Sammy" Duran, a Reagan Elementary School student, introduced her father, Manuel Duran, Sanger's Vet- eran of the Year.
Perez's children, Manuel and Valerie with Manuel's daughter Emilee and Val- erie's son Sagan, were pre- sented with a proclamation honoring Johnny Perez for his service to the community by mayor Frank Gonzalez. Then USMC veteran JD Ben- nett, chairman of Sanger's Veterans Network, present- ed a plaque honoring Perez's service to his country.
When Madera VFW Post 1981's Reggie King played TAPS there were few dry eyes in the crowd gathered in front of the stage at 7th and N streets.
Perez will be honored again at this evening's 6 p.m. city council meeting. His fu- neral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, on the corner of North and Bethel avenues. A memo-
rial service will follow at the American Legion Post 23 at 1502 O St.
Duran, who retired as a 1st Sgt. from the 82nd Air- borne Division after serv-
U.S. Army Airborne veteran Manuel Duran was honored as Vet- eran of the Year based on an online nomina- tion by his daughter, Samantha (Sammy) who took the micro- phone and introduced her dad onstage at last Saturday's Farmers' Market opening cer- emony.
Dick Sheppard / Mid Valley Times
ing from 1988 to 2013 was nominated for Veteran of the Year by his daughter Sa-
The family of Johnny Perez received a proclamation from Mayor Frank Gonzalez honoring Perez's ser- vice to his community and a plaque from JD Bennett, chairman of the Sanger Veterans Network (Saluting), honoring Perez's service to his country before Reggie King played TAPS. There were few dry eyes in the crowd.
Dick Sheppard / Mid Valley Times
mantha who went online to write, "I consider my dad as a nominee because he is my hero.He served for 25 years in the military and he con- tinues to serve the City of Sanger [As a police officer] for the past 23 years and has taught me a lot of valuable life lessons. He also volun- teers on his days off at my school REAGAN Elemen- tary."
When Samantha went on stage, took the microphone and proudly introduced her dad she was cheered almost as loudly as he was.
The theme for this Satur- day's Farmers' Market, from 5-9 p.m. downtown, will be "Taco Throwdown" with Vega Brothers defending their title for serving the best Taco in town.
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