2026 Program Details
Wednesday, November 11th, 2026
Musical Prelude: 10:30 am / Formal Program: 11:00 am
Musical performances by Golden State Brass, Evie Barnett, and The Key of G.
Opening and Closing prayers by Rev. Alex Haider Winnett
Rev. Alex Haider-Winnett is a Unitarian Universalist minister and serves at University Retirement Community. He lives in Davis with his family. He’s an Odd Fellow, a gardener and enjoys spending time at the library.
Keynote Speaker: Sterling Koliba
Speaker Bio:
Sterling was born and raised in Carrollton, Texas. At age 18, he left home to join the United States Marine Corps, where he proudly served for 10 years. Wanting to spend more time with his family, Sterling transitioned to the United States Air Force Reserve, where he served an additional 10 years. In 2024, he began his next chapter of military service with the California Army National Guard, with the goal of completing another 10 years of service to his country.
Beyond his continued military service, Sterling is deeply committed to serving his local community. He is actively involved in numerous veterans’ organizations, serving as Post Commander of VFW Post 8151, a member of the Yolo County Marine Corps League Detachment, a participant in the Yolo County Toys for Tots program, and a member of the Dixon American Legion Post. He also serves on the boards of Veterans Beer Club National and Veterans Equine Therapy in Davis, California.
Sterling’s commitment to leadership and community involvement extends beyond his work with veterans. He participates in Toastmasters and serves as President-Elect of the Davis Sunset Rotary Club. When he isn’t serving his country or volunteering his time, Sterling serves his community professionally as a financial advisor with Edward Jones.
Throughout his military career, Sterling has deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)—once to Iraq and once aboard a ship.
Military Ranks Held:
- United States Marine Corps: Sergeant
- United States Air Force Reserve: Technical Sergeant
- California Army National Guard: Staff Sergeant
Of all his accomplishments, one of Sterling’s proudest moments is seeing his oldest son join the United States Marine Corps. His son departed for Marine Corps training on November 2, 2026, and today marks his ninth day on this new journey. Sterling is proud to see the next generation carry on the tradition of service to our country.
—— PREVIOUS YEARS BELOW —–
2025 Program Details
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Musical Prelude: 10:30 am / Formal Program: 11:00 am
Musical performances by Golden State Brass, Davis Local Vocals, and Ashley Hill.
Opening and Closing prayers by Rev. Alex Haider Winnett
Rev. Alex Haider-Winnett is a Unitarian Universalist minister and serves at University Retirement Community. He lives in Davis with his family. He’s an Odd Fellow, a gardener and enjoys spending time at the library.
Keynote Speaker: Michelle J. Bailey, Owner, Little Reata Stables
Speaker Bio:
Michelle J. Bailey is a U.S. Army veteran and owner of Little Reata Stables in Davis, California. A Davis native and 1989 graduate of Davis High School, she served nearly eight years as a Chief Warrant Officer 2, logging over 1,000 flight hours in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and UH-1 Huey helicopters. Michelle is the proud mother of three children, all graduates of Davis High and Da Vinci High Schools. She remains deeply involved in the veteran community as a member of the American Legion and co-founder of the Yolo/Solano Veterans Beer Club, established with fellow veteran Sterling Koliba. Through Little Reata Stables, she is developing a Veterans Equine Therapy Program that merges her love of horses with her continued commitment to serving those who served.
Full Program:
Previous Years Programs
2024 Program Details
Monday, November 11, 2024
Musical Prelude: 10:30 am / Formal Program: 11:00 am
Musical performances by Golden State Brass, Davis Local Vocals, and The Davis Madrigals.
Opening and Closing prayers by Rev. Alex Haider Winnett
Rev. Alex Haider-Winnett is a Unitarian Universalist minister and serves at University Retirement Community. He lives in Davis with his family. He’s an Odd Fellow, a gardener and enjoys spending time at the library.
Keynote Speaker: Sterling Koliba
Sterling was born and raised in Carolton, Texas, leaving at age 18 to join the United States Marine Corps, where he proudly served 10 years as a Marine. Looking to spend more time with his family, Sterling then switched to the United States Air Force Reserve where he served another ten years. In 2024, he began his journey with the California Army National Guard, looking to complete his last ten years of service. In addition to his continued service to his country, Sterling is also very active in serving his local community. He is involved in many veteran organizations: he is the Jr. Vice Commander of the Dixon VFW post, a member of the Dixon American Legion post, and a founding member of the Veterans Beer Club chapter for Yolo and Solano County. Sterling also participates in the Toastmasters and Davis Sunset Rotary. When he’s not volunteering his time, he serves his community as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones and is the co-owner of Little Reata Stables horse boarding facility.
Sterling was deployed once in support of OIF and once to Iraq.
Military Rankings:
Sergeant Marines
Technical Sergeant Air Force
Staff Sergeant Army