Pride filled the air at the Elmont Library Theatre as 19 veterans from across Long Island were honored with enshrinement into the New York 9th Senate District’s Veterans Hall of Fame for their military service.

“To be able to honor you is an honor for me,” said New York State Senator Patricia Canonzeri-Fitzpatrick, addressing the veterans. “It is truly an honor to give back to you, and to show that there are people that appreciate you all.”

Canonzeri-Fitzpatrick is kin to veterans of different generations. As the daughter of a Korean War veteran and granddaughter of a World War I veteran, Canonzeri-Fitzpatrick made sure to emphasize the importance of each honoree’s service, no matter the time period.

While the 19 honorees served in different wars, tours, and battlefields, two honorees stood out with standing ovations for their work in World War II.

Canonzeri-Fitzpatrick appeared emotional while inducting101-year-old David Marshall, a member of Oceanside Jewish War Veterans Post 717 who served at the Battle of the Bulge and Eleanor Rizzuto, a 104-year-old from Franklin Square, first enlisted in 1942 and served three years as a nurse in the U.S, Army.

“It’s very emotional because there are two World War II vets here, which is amazing because there’s not that many left,” Canonzeri-Fitzpatrick said. “This is a really great thing that I’m so proud to be part of.”

For some honorees, it wasn’t about commemorating their service, but also the ability to stand alongside fellow veterans spanning different generations.

“We are all family,” said Eric Spinner, an Army veteran and honoree from New Hyde Park. “Even though we’re not related, we’re all family. We all share the same ideals, and we all have the same love of our country.”

Spinner grew up in Valley Stream before joining the New York Army Reserve National Guard in 1965. Sixty years later, Spinner remains active in the veteran community, including as Commander of American Legion Post 144 in Williston Park. But for him, the honor means much more.

“It’s not about me, it’s about what we did,” said Spinner. “It’s about what we continue to do. It’s about keeping the spirit alive in this great country.”

A shared theme shared by the honorees was not only their dedication to their country through service, but their dedication to their local communities in the years afterwards.

“It’s a pleasure being able to recognize these veterans that maybe don’t have the recognition (for what they’ve done), but they’ve gone above and beyond,” said Commander Luke Magliaro, veterans services officer for the Town of Hempstead. “There are a lot of veterans that are out there that do a lot of goodwill, and our job is to bring them together.”

Because of their tremendous sacrifice and dedication to their country and communities, each of the 19 honorees are enshrined into history through their Veterans Hall of Fame status.

“I think it’s really powerful to make sure that (the veterans) know they can still be a valued member of society,” added Canonzeri-Fitzpatrick. “So many of these individuals have done so much. They continue to serve and help other veterans, and that’s really special.”