Local Soldiers Remembered at
Thursday Morning Balloon Release

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

 

It was a somber occasion at West Oaks Funeral Home, on Thursday morning at 11:00, when family and friends gathered to remember the great sacrifices made by our present and past soldiers. The event was a pre-Memorial Day Weekend remembrance and highlighted the preservation of our freedoms. Of course the occasion was more poignant with our armed forces presently involved in conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

 

Family members gave the names of their soldiers to be placed on helium-filled balloons and were presented with the balloons in a ceremony. Todd Hedgecock, with West Oaks Funeral Home, directed the program, that began with a prayer and the singing of "America the Beautiful." He then told of the origins of the Memorial Day holiday, beginning with what was first termed "Decoration Day," for the graves of Civil War Soldiers.

 

 

 

 

Next on the program was the reading of a poem, "What Heroes Gave," and the singing of "God Bless America."

 

 

 

 

The formal program ended with a prayer and family members brought their balloons outside, through an arch made by the Hopkins County Military Coalition. Balloons were released into the air and a volley salute was fired. The program ended with the bugle version of "Taps."

 

 

 

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