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Sunday, October 6, 2024
HomeCommunitySilver Bay Veterans’ Home Holds Memorial Day Service

Silver Bay Veterans’ Home Holds Memorial Day Service

Community members and res­ident veterans alike gathered in the Silver Bay Veterans’ Home parking lot on May 29th to com­memorate Memorial Day. All were reminded that Memorial Day is a day of commemoration, not cele­bration because it is a day in which we honor, reflect, and remember the lives of our service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Greeting the guests and residents were members of the American Heritage Girls MN2931 with cards and flags. A welcome table com­plete with programs and flags was provided by the Veterans Home, and music played in the back­ground.

Chaplain Chris Belfield, chap­lain of both American Legion Post #109 and the Silver Bay Veterans’ Home and retired United States Air Force Major, opened the service with prayer.

Following prayer, Volunteer Service Coordinator Randall Walz proceeded with opening re­marks,and introduced Silver Bay Mayor LeBlanc. Walz comment­ed on and thanked LeBlanc for his faithful support of the Silver Bay Veterans’ Home.

Mayor Wade LeBlanc led the au­dience in reciting the Pledge of Al­legiance. He shared how his under­standing of what our U.S. military veterans did for him grew as he got older. Mayor LeBlanc says that the impact of their service really hit home recently, when his cousin, a Vietnam veteran, passed away.

After Mayor LeBlanc’s speech, Julie Luchsinger and Randall Walz honored those veterans at the Sil­ver Bay Veterans’ Home who had passed away in the last year. While Luchsinger read the names of the veterans, Walz tolled a bell once for each name mentioned. Among those mentioned were men who fought on the land, air, and sea in countries from Germany to China.

The service concluded with a flag presentation and taps by the American Legion Honor Guard, and a prayer by Chaplain Belfield.

On Memorial Day in 1982, then-President Ronal Reagan said, “As we honor their [those who gave their lives] memory today, let us pledge that their lives, their sacrifices, their valor, shall be jus­tified and remembered for as long as God gives life to this nation.” As Mayor LeBlanc said, often we for­get the true meaning of Memorial Day. Teaching children about Me­morial Day is one way to ensure that our veterans’ sacrifices are not forgotten.

Haley Searls
Haley Searls
Hello! My name is Haley Searls. I’ve loved writing from an early age, though my nonfiction writing at five years old consisted mainly of weather and gardening reports. I still have some of those early articles: “It’s sunny.” “It’s still sunny.” “It’s raining.” I’m glad to say my writing has improved since then. I wrote a guest post for the Silver Bay Public Library blog, and was the writer/editor of the newsletter for my American Heritage Girls troop. I have been writing for the North Shore Journal since June 2022. Besides writing, I love reading, drawing, photography, music, and spending time with family and friends. Two books that have really influenced my writing are Reforming Journalism by Marvin Olasky and Writer to Writer by Bodie and Brock Thoene. As a journalist, I want to share positive community interactions and inspire people to make lasting connections. Article topics that interest me are ones which show community activities and involvement. Such articles include community events, youth accomplishments, library programming, small businesses, local history, local artists and authors, art programs, and cultural events such as theater and dance. If you have an article idea, email the North Shore Journal with my name in the subject line! I look forward to hearing from you!
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