Memorial Day festivities were held at Mount Vernon and Lisbon communities Monday, May 30.
Mount Vernon’s ceremony kicked off the day with a parade beginning at 9 a.m. in front of the United Methodist Church that stopped at Mount Vernon cemetery, near the veteran’s memorial.
Fred Lehman and his family delivered the pledge of Allegiance, and Ann Curry presented the poem “On Flanders Field.”
Invocation at Mount Vernon went to Terra Amundson, pastor at United Methodist Church.
“Freedom was not free, it is a cost we honor today,” Amundson said. “May the names serve to honor that debt, and may we never forget all they have done to keep this country free.”
Mayor pro-tem Scott Rose delivered some remarks at the Memorial Day ceremony. He remembered the year he was a presenter of the Gettysburg address years ago, and how another speaker reminded the importance of that speech.
Rose encouraged us all to remember the veterans who gave their lives to the cause, but also this Memorial Day to reflect on those in Buffalo, Uvalde and other areas impacted by gun violence in recent weeks.
“We should remember those veterans who gave all for this part of the world,” Rose said.
Lisbon’s ceremony began with performances from the Lisbon Marching Band at the veterans Memorial in the cemetery, and poems honoring veterans after the flag was raised.
The students who won in “What the Flag means to Me” essay contest in February read their essays at the cemetery as well.
Trey Sedenka was the guest speaker at Memorial Day this year. Sedenka, who served in the Army, reiterated that while the choice to serve in the military may be vastly different from person to person, that service was a sacrifice.
“Some of those sacrifices were cashed on blank checks payable up to the end of their life,” Sedenka said. “Today, we honor those whose checks were cashed for their country, Let their legacies be remembered.”
Sedenka reminded those in attendance that it is not a bad thing for us to be happy for a holiday weekend, but we should take some time to remember what these days are all about.”
The flags lining both cemeteries flew in the breeze, with gusts of upwards of 30 miles per hour keeping them unfurled. Lisbon’s colors at graves and their avenue of the flags will be retired Saturday, if volunteers want to assist.
Fred Lehman helps lead the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Memorial Day festivities.