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Honoring Our Fallen
Keep meaning of holiday alive, VA leader says
By Sean Barron
Video
ELLSWORTH
Even though more than 1.1 million Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice in wars defending the United States, too many people still think of Memorial Day as the extension of a long weekend, a veterans-affairs expert contends.
The last Monday in May, formerly known as Decoration Day, symbolizes a lot more than the unofficial start of summer, firing up the grill and opening the swimming pools. It should be viewed as more than “a third day in a long weekend,” said Jim Olive, keynote speaker of Sunday’s Memorial Day service at Ellsworth Elementary School, 6194 S. Salem-Warren Road here.
Olive, coordinator of Youngstown State University’s Veterans Affairs office, told an audience of more than 100 students, military personnel, residents and others that he feels more youngsters need to know veterans’ sacrifices. Today’s society is filled with distractions, but the accomplishments of those in all military branches should still be recognized, appreciated and celebrated, he continued.
Memorial Day also should be about remembering the sailors, soldiers and Air Force personnel who died serving their country, Olive explained.
“Let’s not let the fallen be pushed further back in our memory,” he added.
In addition, Olive urged his audience to visit cemeteries and take extra time to learn more about veterans’ stories and sacrifices.
Parents also should encourage their children to do so, he said.
Sadly, some fallen comrades have no one to mark their grave sites, so it’s important for people who come upon a site with a military denotation to take time to appreciate that veteran, Olive said, adding that people should “remember the price of a free, undivided nation.”
The service also featured remarks from Fred Schrock, commander of Ellsworth-based Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9571, and the Rev. Bonnie Dutton, pastor of Ellsworth Presbyterian Church.
Several musical selections were performed by the Western Reserve High School band.
After the event was a parade that marched about a half-mile from the school to Ellsworth Cemetery on U.S. Route 224.
During a short program at the cemetery, a cross-shaped symbol of remembrance was placed next to a headstone to pay tribute to fallen veterans of all wars. Other tokens were an American flag, red roses and a blue bouquet of flowers.