Lori Cover donned a red, white and blue outfit to attend the Independence Day celebration in New Berlin Saturday as a demonstration of the pride she feels for being a U.S. citizen.

“To me July fourth means freedom. I totally believe in it — the ‘home of the brave and land of the free,’ ” the 42-year-old Middleburg woman said. “I look at our flag in awe.”

It’s a sentiment that means a lot to Nelson Minium, 84, of Milton, who served as a member of the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific during World War II.

For him, the July Fourth holiday represents peace.

His wife, Esther, 82, wishes the younger generation was more respectful of the sacrifices made by men like her husband and four brothers, who also served in the military.

“These little get-togethers are nice, but I don’t know if the young people understand what it’s about,” she said, watching from atop a hill overlooking Penns Creek in New Berlin as people played volleyball and horseshoes during the day-long event.

Working at a raffle counter at the holiday celebration in Watsontown, Wayne Greiner, of Watsontown, and Stephanie Campbell, of New Columbia, discussed what they view as a declining level of patriotism.

Greiner, 68, said the country has also diminished in the eyes of the rest of the world in recent years.

“I don’t think we’re looked at the way we used to be because we stick our nose in other people’s business without taking care of our own,” he said. “We just get involved in too many things.”

Even worse is the younger generation of Americans who don’t seem to care about the origins of the holiday, said Campbell, 35.

“I wish more people would recognize it as something more than another day off work,” she said. “It’s our own fault that other countries don’t respect us, but I’m proud to be an American and we’re still the best country in the world.”

“A lot of people celebrate without thinking what it means or taking it for granted,” said Brett Powell, 14, of Watsontown, who along with friend, Wayne Jacobs, 14, attended the Watsontown festivities to celebrate the 233rd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Eleven-year-old Christopher Hauck, of Winfield, said he has a clear understanding of the meaning of the holiday — “freedom and independence” — in part because his brother, Eric Brosious, 21, has served a year in Afghanistan as a member of the National Guard and a school teacher has spoken about his experiences in Vietnam.

Attending the celebration with her young son, Kristy Heim, of Sunbury, said she feels patriotism has grown in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

“I think people respect what our troops are doing now,” she said, adding there would be more support for the overseas effort if the U.S. economy was stronger.