Page 1 - Aerotech News and Review 11-6-15

Local community honors residents of vets home

CZ-JOEB,$3FZOPMET
staff writer

When it comes to honoring those who help
keep America free, the Antelope Valley commu-
nity is one of the most generous — just ask any
resident at the William J. Pete Knight Veterans
Home in Lancaster, Calif.

“We really feel the love,” explains Velora Dar-
ling, 93, who received a visit, hugs, a card and
cupcakes from community queens while she en-
joyed music from the Desert Vineyard Christian
Fellowship Jazz Band. The smoky, smooth jazz
reminded some residents of the USO clubs of the
1940s. “There is always something going on here
and we have wonderful people that visit us.”

Darling equates living at the home with living
on a cruise ship, “except our ship never leaves
the port!” Serving in the Marine Corps as an air
wing mechanic in 1945, she said she also enjoys
going out into the community. “There are a lot
of old people here, so I like to get out once in a
while,” she adds with a chuckle.

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Lockheed Martin employees heard that resident’s
walkers were getting stuck in holes where trees
once stood, they didn’t simply cover the holes,
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gardens.

“When we heard of the problem, we wanted
to help,” explained Mike Glass, F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter ITF site director at Edwards AFB. “It is

See VETERANS, Page 3

Pitching in: Lockheed Martin employees Ray Photograph by Linda KC Reynolds
Borough, Pete Sterling, Jimmy Ugalde and Tom
Konkle help build planters at the William J. Pete
Knight Veterans Home.

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personnel,” said Mike Glass, Edwards
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