Land of the Free Home of the Brave
Issue No. 003 - June 2025
Celebration Of A Nation
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” This one sentence became the foundation of our nation, becoming the cornerstone of a government to secure our unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The Declaration of Independence is a document we proudly celebrate every year on July 4th. While July 4th is not the day America gained it’s independence, it is the day our country publicly declared to the world our intentions to become a free nation.
In celebration of July 4th here are 10 fascinating facts about The Declaration of Independence.
- July 2, 1776 is the official date that the Continental Congress declared its independence from Britan with a near unanimous vote approving a resolution submitted by Richard Henry Lee from Virginia.
- July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted by Congress, it took 2 days for Congress to agree on the details, and it took nearly a month before the actual signing of the document took place.
- The Declaration was signed by 56 delegates from the 13 colonies.
- 8 Of the signers were born in the UK.
- During the pre-Revolutionary years, colonists celebrated the king’s birthday, by the summer of 1776, colonists held mock funerals for King George symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s rule on America.
- The original rough draft of the Declaration that was handwritten by Thomas Jefferson was lost.
- Congress ordered the Declaration of Independence to be sent to a printer, John Dunlap, who printed about 200 copies known as the Dunlap Broadside.
- The first time the Declaration was read aloud in public was on July 8, 1776, at an event in the Philadelphia State House.
- On July 9, 1776, George Washington read the Declaration out loud in front of City Hall in New York, sparking a revolutionary spirit among the crowd.
- The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was influenced by the American Declaration.
Who Signed The Declaration of Independence?
Click on the tabs below to read about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Connecticut
Samuel Huntington | Roger Sherman | William Williams | Oliver Wolcott
Massachusetts
John Adams | Samuel Adams | John Hancock | Robert Treat Paine | Elbridge Gerry
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Delaware
George Read | Caesar Rodney | Thomas McKean
New Jersey
Abraham Clark | John Hart | Francis Hopkinson | Richard Stockton | John Witherspoon
New York
Lewis Morris | Philip Livingston | Francis Lewis | William Floyd
Pennsylvania
George Clymer | Benjamin Franklin | Robert Morris | John Morton | Benjamin Rush | George Ross | James Smith | James Wilson | George Taylor
Georgia
Button Gwinnett | Lyman Hall | George Walton
Maryland
Charles Carroll | Samuel Chase | Thomas Stone | William Paca
North Carolina
William Hooper | John Penn | Joseph Hewes
South Carolina
Edward Rutledge | Arthur Middleton | Thomas Lynch, Jr. | Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Virginia
Richard Henry Lee | Francis Lightfoot Lee | Carter Braxton | Benjamin Harrison | Thomas Jefferson | George Wythe | Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Vet Talk
Vet Talk is the brainchild of Juan Blanco, Coffee4VETS’ founder and president. Juan started Vet Talk during the pandemic as a way to help veterans work through the difficulties of being isolated, sheltering at home, and social distancing. Vet Talk became crucial in keeping the veteran community connected.
In continuing with the same spirit of keeping the veteran community connected. Vet Talk is being relaunched. The series will feature 1 monthly question answered by our Veteran community. The monthly question will cover a broad scope of topics, ranging from their lives before, during, and after service.
A special Thank You to Lt. Col. Mike Paoli U.S Air Force (Retired), 02 Lt. Nonna Waterman U.S Army (Retired), and Specialist 4 Juan Blanco, U.S Army (Europe) (Retired) for your service and for taking the time to answer this month’s question.
This month’s question is: How do you celebrate the 4th of July?
"I celebrate the 4th of July each years ... these days, two years already at Edwards Airforce Base at their Summer Fest ... With the colleagues I have, friends, families, guests from off base. We have an afternoon of food from multiple vendors; our booster clubs are out there selling all sorts of unit memorabilia.
There's a fantastic, fantastic entertainment program, and I might be a little bit biased because it's my organization that puts on the ... that does the DJing. In fact a colleague of mine named, Josh, and his team will put the music on and ... that generally leads to some stage entertainment followed by one of the greatest firework shows you'll ever see, short of a Centinela celebration at the capital.
Summer Bash 25 is coming up. It's just a fantastic way to relax on the grass with your friends or stand up and dance if you want. It's great for kids ... You got all the food trucks out there. It's really nice."
U.S Airforce: 1989 - 2009
"I celebrate it by going out and seeing my dad who is a Marine in WW2. He's deceased. I say hi to him and see my mother, who stood by him all those years ... She should have been a General, but she wanted to just be a wife and mother ... And I go out and see him.
And I make sure I connect with at least 2 of my fellow vets ... female veterans. Because I did ... military did damage. I suffer from PSTD and MST. And I make ... It's, it's my personally little goal not mission because it's like I ... Then it's a project, it isn't. I want my fellow female veterans to know that there's somebody out there rooting for them. Cause for twenty years I fought to be veteran - VA connected. And I've been told I was not a veteran, that I was a no body, and when I finally ... Somebody finally got a hold of me and told me that I really need to celebrate the 4th of July, I really need to celebrate my military service ... I ... It took me a couple of years.
And now I don't like loud noises. So, me and my cat, after I do my little running around and calls, is our snuggle time. So, she gets a special treat ... And I watch those movies that are hard for me. I've watched, last 4th of July I watched D-Day, I would not recommend that ... Cause that's where my dad was ... in Iwo Jima ... And all I could think was ... my daddy was there. And he celebrated the 4th of July every year. And when he passed it was like I can't every celebrate that again. I can't.
And when I, this is going to sound really, really, really, really, really weird ... I was sitting like the first of July, I was sitting and thinking about my dad and I'm like I really miss you, I know you're with me ... But you know ... I just miss you. And he went Mija I love you. You weren't, be proud of who you are. You're a Marine in an Army body but that's ok ... And I was like that's my daddy. That's my daddy.
So now I try to do something every year instead of just isolating. It gives me a chance to let other female veterans know that there is hope. That they're seen. That they're heard. And they're loved even if I don't know you.
And even men suffer MST. Women in the military can be cruel because ... of their injury... And it doesn't need to be. MST is a terrible, terrible thing. It keeps us from celebrating events. And the 4th of July is supposed to be for us. We're supposed to celebrate our country, celebrate our service. And we need to acknowledge ourselves. We need to say I'm somebody and that's the day we do that. You know Veteran's Day is great. But it took the bravery of young, young children to sign up and fight for this country. Now granted if my granddaughter ever did that I would kick her ass from here to Timbuctoo ... But I would respect her for who she is.
U.S Army: 1981 - 1987
"How do I celebrate the 4th of July? By making sure the people surrounding us are still protected ... 4th of July is a celebration for the nation each year is different. I don't think I've done it the same way twice. Never.
The last time, the last couple of times we've been out in the community just celebrating it like at cemeteries and places of that magnitude.
That's pretty much it. Whatever the community requires because there's always something going on and we are there as representatives of the veteran community. We do our very best to uplift everyone in the community for what they do ... and how they celebrate. So, we share with other people's celebration mostly. Since it's just us now, not too many young people.
The main things is the fact that we're very proud of our nation. The fact that it's the birth of our nation. And I think about what folks had to go through back then. It was rough, it was rough.
That's pretty much how I celebrate, is sharing it with others and participating in other organizations that have an event going on.
This year I wanted to do a BBQ for the 4th. I wanted to do it at the Palmdale Airpark but as you can see from today so many things come up. The fact that Tony lost his son redirected what we're doing. So, it's hard to celebrate in the light of tragedy.
Right now, I'm not really sure what the 4th holds for this year. We'll definitely probably watch all the fireworks. on TV. We have a lot of fireworks in the community. But I'd rather watch it on TV because it has music.
U.S Army (Europe) 1970 - 1972 (Vietnam Era)
President's Message
Welcome to the Coffee4VETS July Newsletter.
July 4th, Independence Day is the day our nation was born out of the need to find relief from tyranny and the heavy-handed rule of the monarch of the British Isles. Freedom, the concept of a people able to govern themselves and forge a destiny all their own is still a thought that at times asks the question, how was this even possible.
Celebrating the 4th takes on different meanings for different people but it all revolves around the central concept of being able to gather and worship together free of oversight or reprisals. We all have different traditions on how we enjoy this day but the main fact is that we can.
However you choose to celebrate or honor this day, please remember all those who stood up to forge this new nation for us to share in freedom and security. To them I say thank you for giving us the greatest nation on the plant.
Our Moto: “Honoring Our Veterans of Yesterday Who Secured Our Today.”
Our Purpose: Pride of Service
Highlight of The Month
June 2025
Operation K.U.D.O.S. at Edwards AFB
Operation K.U.D.O.S. provides kids with a unique perspective on military life. This activity, designed for children aged 4-12, employs interactive, hands-on experiences to educate kids about the deployment process. By engaging in fun activities, kids develop resilience and gain a deeper understanding of their parents’ deployment experiences.
Coffee4VETS was honored to participate in this event. We thank Starbucks for their beverage donation and Voices of Our Youth for the snacks.
Save the Date
We Invite You to Join Us
Join us for our weekly Coffee4VETS event! Veterans and active-duty military can enjoy FREE coffee and 1/2 off breakfast!
Date: Every Tuesday
Time: 7 A.M – 9 A.M
Happy Birthday
A Very Happy Birthday from Coffee4VETS!
July observances
Mark Your Calendars
Independence Day
Alive Day
An Alive Day is the anniversary of the date when a veteran almost lost their life in combat.
National Hire A Veteran Day
Marine Corps Veteran and Hire Our Heroes founder Dan Caporale created National Hire a Veteran Day in 2017 as a call to action for hiring companies, and also to encourage veteran job applicants.
National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
A day to remind Americans of those who served and died in the conflict in the Korean War.
National Buffalo Soldiers Day
A holiday celebrating the contributions of some of the earliest African-American troops in the United States military.
Army Chaplain Corps Anniversary
Coffee4VETS, Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit organization that operates by the generous donations from individuals and other non-profit organizations. Thank you for visiting our page.