FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Soldiers and civilians, both Hispanic and non, celebrated the closing of Hispanic Heritage Month at The Landing Oct. 14 with food and dance.
The luncheon, presented by the 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group, was the culmination of events that began on Sept. 15, according to Sgt. 1st Class David Cofer, Fort Rucker Equal Opportunity tenant activity adviser.
"It really was a great month, but Hispanic heritage is something to be celebrated year-round," he said. "I hope everyone who came to the events learned something about Hispanic heritage and can pass that on to others."
Rich Lopez, CSM Marketing owner and Board Member of the Boy and Girls Club of the Wiregrass, was the guest speaker for the event. He thanked the servicemembers for their service in and out of uniform.
"My father was a veteran, so we moved around a lot and I got to meet a lot of people," he said. "What you have in the military is what we need in the world. Not just the military might, but the attitude. I've seen you working in schools and in projects like Habitat for Humanity; doing menial work and doing it with pride and dedication."
Along with the luncheon, attendees were treated to dance demonstrations from Citlaltzin from St. Columbia Catholic Church in Dothan and a Salsa dance by Marta Trevathan, Hispanic Dance instructor here, and her assistant, 2nd Lt. Andres Pazmin, B Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment.
"It's really great to find a post that celebrates the diverse community like this," Pazmin said. "I love displaying dance whenever I can."
Many people contributed to the luncheon and other activities throughout the month, Cofer said. Without help, many of the events would not have been possible.
"Susie Antonello, Post Exchange visual merchandiser manager, and her staff really did a great job decorating for the luncheon and other events," Cofer said. "Without the help of everyone involved with the events, we couldn't have made any of it happen."
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