FLORENCE-Florence Mayor Steve Holt and Lauderdale County Commission Chairman Danny Pettus invite everyone to attend the annual Memorial Day Program set for Monday, May 27, 2019, at 10:00 A.M. Poppies will be given to the first 200 attendees to arrive at the Veterans Memorial.
The local theme for this year’s Memorial Day is “Remembering Our Fallen Heroes.” The ceremony will be held at the Florence-Lauderdale County Veterans Memorial, at 301 Veterans Park Drive, north of Wilson Dam. Relatives of service members who were killed in American wars are especially invited to attend. Also, veterans are encouraged to attend as a show of respect for their fallen comrades.
The ceremony will include: posting the colors, singing of the National Anthem, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, laying of a wreath, the release of white-doves, a 21gun salute, and the playing of Taps.
The Fallen Heroes Memorial will also be dedicated at the ceremony and two new memorial monuments unveiled. This memorial is located on the north side of the Veterans Memorial in a sunken-garden setting. Its purpose is to establish a permanent memorial for all of the Lauderdale County citizens who gave their lives in defense of our Nation. The names of the 225 fallen heroes are listed on five permanently installed memorial markers, displayed by wars: WW I (46), WW II (131), Korean War (15), and Vietnam War (33). In addition to the 225, the County has lost four in the Global War on Terrorism.
The Fallen Heroes Memorial stands as a symbol of the patriotism of the fallen heroes of Lauderdale County. Furthermore, displaying the names of the fallen heroes in this memorial is a commitment by the citizens of Lauderdale County that our fallen heroes will not be forgotten.
Attendees are invited to tour the Veterans Museum and the displays of military equipment and monuments on the grounds of the Veterans Memorial.
Media Release/Sandra Morgan, Executive Assistant to the Mayor of Florence
