LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Crowds gathered at Moncus Park in Lafayette for "Salute to Service," a celebration honoring local veterans and their families.

The Lafayette Consolidated Government partnered with the Acadiana Veteran Alliance, LUS Fiber and Moncus Park to host the second annual event; giving the community a chance to come together and say, “thank you.”

“It’s just a time to recognize the contribution our veterans have made to our community, the sacrifices they and their families have made over the years, and to really say thank you,” said Christina DeVries, Chief of Staff for Lafayette Consolidated Government.

This year’s celebration also recognized Lafayette native Mark Collazos, a Ranger Hall of Fame inductee and local veteran who continues to serve Louisiana through his work helping transitioning service members find new opportunities at "The Boot."

“We really just wanted to recognize a Lafayette native veteran that had just really goes above and beyond,” DeVries said. “And this year, in partnering with Andrew at the Veterans Affairs Commission and the Acadiana Veterans Alliance, they found someone who has really continued that service after their military career.”

Andrew Ward, CEO and founder of the Acadiana Veteran Alliance, said the event not only honors those who have served, but also highlights the importance of creating a veteran-friendly community.

“One of the things we wanted to identify was not just the veteran that served in the past, but somebody that’s serving today; somebody that’s making Lafayette and our community the most veteran-friendly it can be,” Ward said.

He added that the location and timing were intentional.

“We wanted to be able to activate this beautiful space on this great day and this great weekend for veterans that we're supporting," said Ward. "And for us, it was an easy way for us to come together.”

Organizers say "Salute to Service" is part of a larger effort by the new Lafayette Veterans Affairs Commission to expand outreach and community engagement.

“We’re just getting started, kind of just getting our feet wet and really want to help them lead a lot of outreach with the veteran's community,” DeVries said. “We want to hear their voices. What are their concerns? How can we better serve them with all the contributions they made for us? We really want to have a chance to hear them and give back. And that's what we look forward to doing.”

Organizers say today’s event was about more than just celebration — it was about community, gratitude, and keeping Lafayette’s commitment to honoring veterans year-round.

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