On Monday, May 25, communities across the region gathered to observe Memorial Day with heartfelt and moving programs and special events. In Grand Marais, musicians performed, the color guard proudly presented the colors, and guest speakers delivered powerful speeches. Meanwhile, in Two Harbors, the Two Harbors City Band filled the air with patriotic ballads to honor the fallen prior to the Memorial Day program starting at the High School. Once the program commenced, people were invited to meet at the cemetery to commemorate those who have fallen.
I personally attended the Memorial Day Program held at the Silver Bay Veterans Home, which began with a welcoming outdoor lunch. At the outdoor lunch sat a table in honor of all the POW/MIA soldiers. The official program opened with the presentation of the flags, followed by a warm welcome from Randall Walz of Public Affairs and Volunteer Services.
Afterward, Recreation Director Julie O’Neill touched hearts by sharing personal stories of her late father, a veteran and former resident of the home. She then introduced the keynote speaker, Dave Stalen, the former State Commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
The True Meaning of the Day
In a deeply moving speech, Stalen reminded the audience of the cru‑ cial distinction between our national holidays, reflecting on what Memorial Day actually represents:
“More than one million American service members have died in our nation’s wars. One million.
He stated, “Memorial Day is not Veterans Day. Veterans Day, on November 11th, is when we honor all who served in the Armed Forces, past and present… Armed Forces Day, the second Saturday in May, honors the men and women who are currently serving. However, Memorial Day belongs to a different group entirely. It is set apart for those who did not come home. It is a day of remembrance, honor, and gratitude for those who gave. As Lincoln said, the last full measure of devotion.”
Stalen traced the heavy price of American freedom through history, spanning from Lexington, Concord, and Valley Forge, to the beaches of Normandy, the jungles of the Pacific, the frozen ground of Korea, the rice paddies of Vietnam, and the deserts and mountains of Iraq and Afghanistan.
“For veterans, this is a very somber day. “They think of their friends, fellow soldiers, Marines, shipmates, airmen, and guardians who didn’t make it back.” Stalen noted.
One of the most touching moments of the Silver Bay program was the tolling of the bell, rung in honor of every local veteran who passed away over the last year. The ceremony concluded with the traditional playing of Taps, a final, solemn tribute to the sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends who are no longer with us.
In small communities like ours, remembrance feels deeply personal. We all know veterans who have passed. Some served long before we knew them, while others were our friends, neighbors, classmates, co-workers, and family members. Whether their names are written on local memorials, etched into nearby headstones, on a memorial wall or left in foreign soil, we honor them all.
So, next year, when you are enjoying an extra day off from work, picnics, and get-togethers, remember why we actually have Memorial Day. Remember that freedom is not free. It was purchased again and again at the highest possible price, their lives.
May the sacrifice of the fallen always be remembered, and may our veterans always be respected. There is truly no better way to observe Memorial Day than to simply remember.
