U.S. Army Private First Class Travis Krege died in service of his country on Dec. 6, 2006.
The beloved son of Michael and Sandy Krege was just 24 years old when he was killed by a remote bomb while driving a Humvee in a convoy during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Afghanistan.
Today, his mom, Lancaster resident Sandy Krege, speaks on behalf of her son and all those who died during military service as a member of American Gold Star Mothers, a nationwide organization that strives to support veterans and their families, especially loved ones who have a deeper understanding of the pain the death of a soldier brings.
On Monday, Sandy Krege encouraged those attending the Town of Niagara’s Memorial Day service at Veterans Memorial Park to honor and remember her son — and all the brave men and women who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces — by living their own lives with purpose, kindness and with gratitude.
“My son, Private First Class Travis Krege, wore the uniform proudly just as so many others did. They believed in something greater than themselves and that is freedom and service and protecting the values that we hold dear as Americans. Their courage and commitment are not just memories. They are the legacy of the lives that live on in each of us,” Krege said.
Dozens of residents and visitors, many representing various branches of the U.S. military, gathered at the soldiers’ monument inside the park to recognize the sacrifices of soldiers, like Travis Krege, who died while serving in the armed forces.
The ceremony was organized by the Town of Niagara Lions and the Town of Niagara Helping Hands, a service organization of women formed for the purpose of providing service work in the community. It featured a laying of wreaths by the Lions Club and Helping Hands and the playing of “The Star Spangled Banner” and Taps by local trumpet player Morgan Giannantonio.
It also offered a chance for Retired Army Sgt. First Class and Town of Niagara Lions’ President Mike Hoplight to recognize the contributions of his long-time friend and associate, the late Angelo Onevelo who passed away last July.
For many years, Onevelo, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, helped organize and served as chair of the town’s Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies as well as its annual Citizenship Awards programs. Onevelo’s years of tireless volunteer work extended to the Town of Wheatfield Lions Club where he helped operate a loan closet that provides medical equipment to individuals in need.
During Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony, Hoplight presented Onevelo’s wife, Mary, and members of the deceased veteran’s family with a plaque dedicated in his honor as the recipient of The Helen Keller Fellowship Award from the Lions Club in St. Catharines, Ont. The award honors outstanding Lions, Lioness and Leos.
“He did more for the community than you could ever think of, in the back,” Hoplight said of Onevelo. “He didn’t want that pat on the back. He didn’t want anybody to know about it, but he was there for everybody.”
Onevelo’s legacy will soon be remembered inside the park in the form of a bench that Hoplight said will be installed across the road from the town’s soldiers’ memorial later this year. The bench was made possible with funding provided by the Niagara County Legislature.
Fellow Lion John Teixeira said his long-time friend Angelo was active in many efforts outside of honoring veterans, including support for Old Niagara Days and the Strawberry Festival. Teixeira described obtaining the funds to build and install a bench in Onevelo’s honor as a “slam dunk,” saying nobody hesitated to chip in and get the job done.
“He touched thousands of lives,” Teixeira said.
Niagara County Legislator Chris McKimmie, R-Niagara Falls, attended Monday’s ceremony and offered a few thoughts on Onevelo’s service as written by fellow Legislator Chris Robins, D-Niagara Falls, who was unable to attend. Robins described Onevelo’s life as “remarkable,” noting that he touched many lives while serving as “the heart” of the Town of Niagara Lions Club.
“He didn’t do it for recognition or praise,” Robins wrote. “He did it because he loved and believed in service. He believed in people.”
“This park bench we dedicate today is more than a place to sit,” Robins continued. “It is a reminder. It is a reminder of a man who showed us what it means to give with joy, to lead with humility and to live with purpose. May all who rest here feel a little of his spirit.”
In accepting the plaque and the bench in her husband’s honor, Onevelo’s wife, Mary, said that Angelo was guided by many sayings and one in particular stood out to her as reflective of the kind of person he was as a husband, a father and as a dedicated community member and American.
“One saying he always said was ‘Don’t ever do anything for anybody expecting something back in return.’ Do it because you want to do it. He wouldn’t expect the bench, but he would have loved the bench,” she said.