Warsaw Plans Ceremony To Honor Local Veterans
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
When the bells toll at 11 a.m. Wednesday, odds are most people won't know why.
Others may wonder what the crowd of people and the Warsaw Community High School band are doing on the southwest corner of the Courthouse square.
According to Mike Davis, adjutant for Warsaw American Legion Post 49, they will be there for a Veteran's Day memorial service to honor the military veterans - both living and deceased - for the sacrifices they made in protecting America's freedoms and way of life.
The American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars posts are co-sponsoring the service Wednesday at the War Memorial at the courthouse. The high school band will perform a medley of patriotic selections between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. This will be followed by the "Tolling of the Bells" ceremony.
"The tolling of the bells is a memorial for any veteran who died during the past year," Davis said. "The families of any veteran who has died in the last year, and who wasn't a member of the American Legion or the VFW, should call either post to have their names added to the roll."
In the event of inclement weather, the service will be conducted at Center Lake Pavilion, he said.
Davis said the ceremony is important not just to honor living and fallen veterans, but also to keep their service to their fellow countrymen in the forefront of the public's collective memory.
"The significance of Veteran's Day and the memorial service is to keep the veterans and what they stand for out in front of the public's mind," he said. "The attendance last year compared to what it has been was pretty good, but it's not nearly what we'd like to see. If I was a guessing man, I'd say the fact that we don't see more people participating is just public apathy."
Jim Scott, of Warsaw's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1126 concurred and said that apathy may be behind a fall in post membership, as well.
"We are just having a hard time getting the younger guys in," he said.
Both Davis and Scott stressed that the veterans' service to the country didn't stop when their military duties ended.
The American Legion sponsors several programs to foster patriotism in high school students: the Boys' State competition, where high school students learn about our form of government, and the American Legion's Oratory Contest, where young speakers are judged on inspirational patriotic speeches, Davis said.
The VFW offers community outreach programs, such as delivering flowers to area nursing homes and donating to many community service organizations, according to Scott.
Both posts will provide veterans with a free lunch following the memorial service. The American Legion also will sponsor a chicken dinner Wednesday evening. There will be a $6 charge for the dinner.
"We encourage everyone to attend the memorial service Wednesday morning," Davis said. "We all need to show our respect for the veterans, all of whom have sacrificed so much for our country." [[In-content Ad]]
When the bells toll at 11 a.m. Wednesday, odds are most people won't know why.
Others may wonder what the crowd of people and the Warsaw Community High School band are doing on the southwest corner of the Courthouse square.
According to Mike Davis, adjutant for Warsaw American Legion Post 49, they will be there for a Veteran's Day memorial service to honor the military veterans - both living and deceased - for the sacrifices they made in protecting America's freedoms and way of life.
The American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars posts are co-sponsoring the service Wednesday at the War Memorial at the courthouse. The high school band will perform a medley of patriotic selections between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. This will be followed by the "Tolling of the Bells" ceremony.
"The tolling of the bells is a memorial for any veteran who died during the past year," Davis said. "The families of any veteran who has died in the last year, and who wasn't a member of the American Legion or the VFW, should call either post to have their names added to the roll."
In the event of inclement weather, the service will be conducted at Center Lake Pavilion, he said.
Davis said the ceremony is important not just to honor living and fallen veterans, but also to keep their service to their fellow countrymen in the forefront of the public's collective memory.
"The significance of Veteran's Day and the memorial service is to keep the veterans and what they stand for out in front of the public's mind," he said. "The attendance last year compared to what it has been was pretty good, but it's not nearly what we'd like to see. If I was a guessing man, I'd say the fact that we don't see more people participating is just public apathy."
Jim Scott, of Warsaw's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1126 concurred and said that apathy may be behind a fall in post membership, as well.
"We are just having a hard time getting the younger guys in," he said.
Both Davis and Scott stressed that the veterans' service to the country didn't stop when their military duties ended.
The American Legion sponsors several programs to foster patriotism in high school students: the Boys' State competition, where high school students learn about our form of government, and the American Legion's Oratory Contest, where young speakers are judged on inspirational patriotic speeches, Davis said.
The VFW offers community outreach programs, such as delivering flowers to area nursing homes and donating to many community service organizations, according to Scott.
Both posts will provide veterans with a free lunch following the memorial service. The American Legion also will sponsor a chicken dinner Wednesday evening. There will be a $6 charge for the dinner.
"We encourage everyone to attend the memorial service Wednesday morning," Davis said. "We all need to show our respect for the veterans, all of whom have sacrificed so much for our country." [[In-content Ad]]