Student and local veterans alike had a chance to celebrate Veterans Day at the sculpture gardens, enjoying a morning of food, music and socializing.

The event occurred from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The day was gloomy, but faces were smiling and attitudes remained positive as veterans were honored for their service.

Veterans Resource President Art Alfaro, business major, has been a student at Fullerton College for a year and a half after serving two tours in Afghanistan in the Marine Corps from 2008-2010. Alfaro has been enlisted from 2007-2011 and is heavily involved with the veteran services on campus.

“We provide for the veteran students and volunteer in the community. At any given time we have approximately 650-700 veterans on campus. We are currently putting together care packages for the service members,” Alfaro said.

Local veterans such as Robert Pavlovich, 93, enjoyed the festivities provided. Pavlovich served as a sergeant in the Marine Corps since Jan. 1942. Pavlovich served as part of the 1st Platoon that fought in the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.

“I feel serving was something I had to do as an American,” Pavlovich said. “It’s our duty to fight for the freedom of our country.”

The gardens were colorfully decorated in red, white and blue balloons and honored our veterans by flying the flags from each branch of the military.

Tickets at the event were sold for $5 to provide an array of food and drinks to the veterans. A donation box was also available to fundraise for the veterans care packages that are being put together provided by the Veterans Resource Center.

“We received a lot of things for the care packages this year,” said Esmeralda Martin, Veterans Resource Center secretary.