Port Allen, LA – American Legion McKinley Bourg Post 160 held its annual awards dinner on October 28, 2025, recognizing students, veterans, and community members who exemplify service and citizenship in West Baton Rouge Parish.

Boys State Students Honored

The evening featured special recognition for two outstanding high school students who represented West Baton Rouge Parish at Louisiana Boys State at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Grant Monroe of Port Allen High School and Kyson Evans of Brusly High School received Certificates of Appreciation and Good Citizenship Citations for their participation in the American Legion's Boys State citizenship training program.

Monroe, who served in the press corps during Boys State, earned the Most Outstanding Citizen award for his parish. He credited the experience with building lasting friendships across Louisiana.

"Being yourself was probably the best thing you could have did at Boys State," Monroe told attendees. "The people I met all over the state and everything that I learned... I still got one guy. We talk to each other almost every day."

Evans, who also praised the experience, noted how the program taught him about politics and governance while building connections with students from across the state.

"We supported each other so that we could all become better," Evans said. "And I just loved how everybody was just communicating with one another and supporting one another."

Quilt of Valor Presentation

In an emotional ceremony, Shirley Catanzaro presented a handmade Quilt of Valor to her husband, Anthony Catanzaro, U.S. Army (Retired).

The quilt, created in secrecy during a retreat with a decoy quilt made to maintain the surprise, recognized Catanzaro's military service and sacrifice. He read the meaning of the POW/MIA table earlier in the evening.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation, founded in 2003, has awarded hundreds of thousands of quilts to veterans nationwide as a tangible thank you for their service.

Veterans Reflect on Service and Sacrifice

During the evening's reflections, David Credeur shared the personal cost of military service, speaking about comrades lost and family members currently serving.

"I lost a shipmate on the USS Cole when he got struck in Yemen. I lost my first chief engineer. He lost his life in the Pentagon," Credeur said. "I got two sons that's in the Marines right now. I think about them every day. It's hard to wake up in the morning just thinking what's next. You know, you never know."

His remarks reflected the ongoing reality for many veterans whose families continue the tradition of military service while carrying the weight of past losses.

Civic Recognition Award

Dr. Chandler Smith, Superintendent of West Baton Rouge Parish Schools, received the 2025 McKinley-Burg Post 160 Civic Recognition Award for his instrumental role in dedicating the Port Allen High School and Brusly High School football fields to honor veterans.

Under Smith's leadership, monuments were erected at both schools featuring lighted flagpoles where American flags fly 24 hours a day. The monuments include bronze plaques with the inscription "All gave some, some gave all. Dedicated to the men and women of West Baton Rouge Parish who served in the armed forces."

Smith thanked the American Legion for their partnership in honoring veterans and supporting students through programs like Boys State.

Additional Recognitions

The American Legion presented Certificates of Appreciation and Citations to:

• Port Allen High School and Brusly High School for displaying the United States flag and supporting Boys State delegates
• Boy Scout Troop 53 for outstanding service and assistance contributing to the advancement of American Legion programs
• David and Peggy Couvillon for flag display
• Scott United Methodist Church for flag display
• John McGary Perkins Jr. and his wife Nancy received a Citation of Appreciation for displaying the United States flag. Perkins also received a Certificate of Honor for his U.S. Armed Forces service, originally dated November 11, 2024, presented at this event after he was unable to attend last year's Veterans Day dinner

Certificates of Appreciation were also prepared for the towns of Brusly, Addis, and Port Allen, Sheriff Jeff Bergeron, and Parish President Jason Manola, though the recipients were unable to attend.

POW/MIA Recognition

The evening began with a solemn POW/MIA table ceremony, read by Anthony Catanzaro, explaining the symbolism of the place setting honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action.

The small, round table represents everlasting concern for those missing. The white tablecloth symbolizes the purity of their intentions when answering the call to duty. A single red rose signifies the blood they may have shed and the families who keep faith while awaiting their return. The yellow ribbon represents the determination to account for the missing.

A slice of lemon reminds attendees of the bitter fate of those captured and held prisoner. A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears of missing service members and their families who long for answers after decades of uncertainty. The inverted glass represents their inability to share in the evening's toast.

A Bible represents the strength gained through faith in a nation founded under God. A lighted candle reflects the hope that lives in hearts to illuminate their way home from captivity to the open arms of a grateful nation.

Upcoming Veterans Day Events

Post Commander outlined an extensive schedule of Veterans Day activities:

• Sunday, November 9: Scott United Methodist Church service at 8:30 AM. Veterans Celebration at West Baton Rouge Museum, 11 AM - 3 PM, featuring Victory Belles performance at 1:30 PM, flag presentation, rifle volley, and taps at 2:30 PM. Museum Old Tyme Jam from 3:00-5:00 PM. The event includes an antique car/military show
• Monday, November 10 (Veterans Day): Flag raising at Post 160 at 7:45 AM; breakfast in Brusly at 8:30 AM; Iberville Salute to Veterans in Plaquemine at 9:30 AM
• Sunday, November 16: 11 AM Mass at Catholic Church in Brusly

Community Partnership

Post leadership emphasized the importance of community support in continuing programs like Boys State. Anonymous community donors have provided generous contributions to ensure the program's continuation.

"People in the community has given generous donations for us to continue this program," said Post leadership. "They want to see this program succeed."

The American Legion thanked guidance counselors at Port Allen High School and Brusly High School for consistently selecting outstanding student representatives who embody character, leadership, and community service.

American Legion McKinley-Burg Post 160 serves veterans and the community in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

#WBRIndependent