Several people gathered at the Veterans Memorial Monument on the south side of the courthouse Monday morning for a local Memorial Day observance.
Les Enoch, Chief Executive Officer of Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District, was the guest speaker for the program.
In his remarks, Enoch said “We should never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“As we know, Memorial Day is observed annually on the last Monday in May in honor of the nation’s armed service personnel killed in wartime. The holiday was originally called ?Decoration Day’ because it is a time for decorating graves with flowers, wreaths, and flags. Over time, the designation ?Memorial Day’ became far more common. After World War I, Memorial Day observances were changed to honor the dead in all American Wars, starting with the American Revolution.”
“We should never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We must continue to honor them and all military personnel who defend our freedom. It is a privilege to be from a country that is served by so many brave men and women. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this program to pay tribute to those who gave their lives defending freedom. We pray that their sacrifice will always be honored and remembered. May God continue to bless America.”
Southern Harmony, a local group made up of Annette Greek, Mary Lynn Page, Susan Parham, and Betty Martin, sang two patriotic songs during the program. These ladies are members of the Smithville First United Methodist Church.
A wreath was placed by the Veterans Memorial Monument at the conclusion of the program as Colton Rhody played taps on the trumpet.
The program was sponsored by American Legion Post #122 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #7623.
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