GETZVILLE, N.Y. — Folks labored out Saturday in reminiscence of a neighborhood adorned Military veteran who died in 2008.

Jonathan Cote was kidnapped in Iraq in 2006. His household does a memorial exercise to lift cash for a scholarship in his identify at Williamsville North Excessive Faculty.

Cash will even be donated to WNY Heroes for a service canine for a neighborhood veteran.

For the Cote household, honoring Jon is the correct factor to do.

“Jon beloved to work out, enormous health buff, so I really feel like after we’re doing this right here as we speak, it is a strategy to problem individuals, particularly those that may not work out usually,” his sister, Samantha Dunford, mentioned. “For 45 minutes they do one thing laborious, and keep in mind those that we have misplaced, not solely Jon however within the service neighborhood.”

This yr’s annual occasion was hosted at One/Health club in Getzville.

Cote was working as a non-public contractor in Iraq when he was kidnapped.

Jonathon graduated from Williamsville North. He served 4 years with the 82nd Airborne Division. He served in Iraq throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom and in Afghanistan throughout Operation Enduring Freedom.