The Sun and News, Saturday, June 5, 2021/ Page 15Caledonia, MI
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Water Bourne SystemTwo members of the Caledonia Pipes and Drums perform “Amazing Grace” before
Chaplain Gary Timmermans leads the crowd in a prayer. (Photo by Sophie Bates)
AT LEFT: Caledonia High School student Matthew
Vanoord plays taps on the trumpet. (Photo by Sophie
Bates)AT RIGHT: Waving flags line the pathways of the Caledonia Lakeside Cemetery.
The Caledonia American Legion Post hosted this ceremony as well as the other
events took place at Alaska, Blain, Dutton and Holy Corners cemeteries. (Photo by
Sophie Bates)
The crowd bowed their heads as Post 305 Chaplain Gary Timmermans prayed to
close the event. “May the day soon come when we can lay down our arms and more
earnestly give our attention to do justice, live in kindness and to walk humbly in your
sight. In Jesus’ name, Amen,” Timmermans said. (Photo by Sophie Bates)
Gold Star Mother and Middleville resident Donna
Roush was the guest speaker for the service in the
Caledonia Lakeside Cemetery. She told the story of her
son, 22-year-old Cpl. Nickolas Roush, who was killed in
action in Herat, Afghanistan, in 2009. “This day is one of
the hardest days of the year. Memorial Day is not about
a sale or a cookout or an unofficial start to summer. For
those who understand it, it is not happy Memorial Day.
I’m thankful this country still has a day set aside to
remember and honor all those who have given their lives
for our freedom. For God Star families, Memorial Day is
every day,” Roush said. (Photo by Sophie Bates)
American Legion Auxiliary President Penny Overholt
offers remarks. (Photo by Sophie Bates)Dan Nelson, representing the Sons of the American
Legion, speaks about the American Legion’s virtues and
ideals. “To the American Legion, democracy is concrete
and actual. It is expressed in meeting halls where no
distinction of rank is recognized, but where all are equal
for virtue of common service and common ideal. I charge
you to ever maintain the spirit of equality in the meeting
halls of the Sons of the American Legion and in your
daily lives, which is a manifestation of democracy; permit
every member a free voice, but no voice so free as to
transcend the limits of liberty; seek to prove in all things
that all are born equal in certain unalienable rights; and
that a nation dedicated to this proposition shall endure
forever,” Nelson said. “We, as the Sons of the American
Legion, adhere to this great principle with unswerving
loyalty.” (Photo by Sophie Bates)The meaning of Memorial Day