When Post 21 Commander Mary Garcia read that Memorial Day was the most misunderstood holiday, she decided to change that concept by orchestrating an amazing ceremony designed to bring back the true meaning of Memorial Day and plant the seed for continued reverent remembrance in the future.
“I consider this a teaching moment,” Garcia said. “I believe that veterans and all Americans have an inherent responsibility to keep the spirit of Memorial Day alive and help prepare our future generations to do the same. Memorial Day is not just about mattress sales and picnics. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, ‘Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.’ Post 21 believes it is our mission to continue to honor and value their sacrifices and contributions.”
This year’s ceremony, hosted by NFM/Grandscape and held on their outdoor stage in front of about 700 people, included a ceremonial flag-folding with an explanation of the 13 folds, the POW/MIA table, and a building of the Battlefield Cross with a description of the significance of each item. The local Daughters of the American Revolution Sarah-Kincaid Cooke Chapter made 500 felt poppies by hand and distributed all of them. DAR Chapter Regent Sally Czerwinski did a heartfelt reading of “We Shall Keep the Faith”, a poem penned by Moina Michael in November 1918.
The dynamic Praise Team from Life Changing Faith Christian Fellowship Church, Frisco, Texas, engaged the crowd with their songs of praise and worship, bringing another aspect of remembrance and honor to the event. Senior Pastor Dono Pelham assured us that the service of our veterans who have passed on will never be forgotten, and we can all find peace and comfort in this day of reverence.
The Colony Mayor Richard Boyer presented Garcia with a city proclamation and joined Pelham in placing the memorial wreath.
There were tears in the eyes of many of the attendees when they held up “In Honor of” signs with the names of their deceased-veteran loved ones and friends while the bugler sounded taps.
After the ceremony, dozens of attendees expressed their thanks for teaching them what the different traditions mean. “I never knew that each fold of the flag had a special meaning, or how the Battlefield Cross honors someone killed in battle,” said one man. “This event has made such an impact on me because I learned so much about traditions related to Memorial Day."