Veterans pay tribute to fallen heroes for Memorial Day

Published 12:51 pm Saturday, May 23, 2020

Area veterans gathered at Veterans Memorial Park at Sportsman Lake Park Saturday to pay tribute to the service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for country.

In an abbreviated ceremony due to the coronavirus, incoming VFW Commander Brian Monk paid tribute to the fallen.

“Our presence here is a solemn congregation of all these men and women, an expression of our tribute to their devotion to duty, to their courage and their patriotism,” he said. “By their services on land, on the sea and in the air, they have made us their debtors. For the flag of our nation still flies over the land of the free people.”

Veterans paid silent tribute with salutes to the monuments featuring the names of Cullman residents who lost their lives in active duty in all wars.

Though social distancing means scaling back on organized Memorial Day commemorations this year, local VFW Post 2214 is making sure that the occasion won’t pass unnoticed.

With a strong volunteer turnout Thursday, VFW members teamed with the community to place American flags at the graves of the more than 1,200 local veterans whose remains lie in Cullman County cemeteries.

Throughout Saturday, the VFW was conducting its poppy fundraiser at Cullman’s two Warehouse Discount Grocery stores. Funds raised are used to help Cullman County veterans.

This year, the VFW also paid tribute to Cullman’s fallen warriors with a display of crosses and flags on Hwy. 31. Family members of the men and women honored are welcome to keep the cross with their loved one’s name, Monk announced Saturday. Gold Star families should contact the VFW to claim the cross. The crosses will be on display for another two weeks.