Photos by Marie Mccolm George Blake celebrating his 103rd birthday with his three daughters, who traveled from New Jersey and Illinois to the Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake. George Blake, sitting in the center of everyone, during his 103rd birthday celebration at Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake. The entrance of the Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake was decorated for George Blake’s 103rd birthday.

Special celebration held at Homelake veterans center

MONTE VISTA — Family and friends surrounded beloved Veteran George Blake to help celebrate his 103^rd birthday on Jan. 29 at the Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake.

Blake’s children traveled a great distance to be with their father on his birthday. Approximately 50 people attended the celebration.

People were greeted by a huge sign over a table that read, “We appreciate your sacrifices, United we stand.” The party’s theme was the roaring 20’s, and some people were dressed in 1920’s attire, complete with featherhead dresses and cute outfits.

Blake walked in with a huge smile as center Director Pam Self introduced him and said they were going to celebrate his birthday with trivia, and games.

Blake was asked what his secret was to live to 103. He smiled and responded, “A little gin and tonic never hurt.”

Blake was all smiles as Self began to ask attendees questions from the 1920’s including what the number one name of little girls was from the 1920’s. Correct answers received a 100 Grand candy bar.

Blake enjoyed the trivia and even answered one correctly. Local businessman Bob Richards, along with local businessman James Pacheco attended the party and reminded Blake that they would soon be inducting a large version of his poem on a plaque, into the Faith Hinkley Memorial Park in Monte Vista.

Blake, who is a Pearl Harbor survivor, wrote a poem and received recognition for his poem by the two businessmen.

Self was excited to give the party and said, “This is just such an incredible milestone. George is such an inspiration to all of us. If you think of everything that he has experienced in his lifetime, the changes in technology. It is such an honor to know him for sure. To also have this overwhelming attendance for him, and to know that he knows all these people and they care so much about him. It is also very special that his family has been able to travel here from their homes back east, from Illinois and further east than that. His three daughters and their husbands. At lunch, the residents also get to request a special meal, and George had his special meal at noon and all the residents and dietary aids got to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to him there, too.”

Blakes’ daughters were excited to see their father. One traveled from New Jersey and two of them traveled from Illinois. Blake was excited and said that he saw an interview on YouTube that he did about Pearl Harbor when he still lived in Salida.

Michelle Velasquez of the Proud Military Parents group was happy to provide Blakes’ special cake at his party.

He was asked if he got everything he wanted for his birthday and answered, “Yes, I got to see my kids and eat cake. I got to see my nurse and I got lots of birthday cards in the mail and got several phone calls. Being with my kids today has been great.”

When Blake was asked how it felt to be 103, he said, “I don’t know it just happened.”