Over 200 veterans, Gold Star families, local officials and community members gathered at Gainesville’s Evergreen Cemetery on Monday for the city and Alachua County’s Memorial Day ceremony, honoring the lives of fallen U.S. military men and women.
The ceremony took place at the Veterans Monument in Evergreen Cemetery, where over 1,100 service members are buried. Volunteers worked over the weekend to place American flags at each of the graves.
Volunteers included the Milton Lewis Young Marines, whose namesake, Corporal Milton Lewis, is buried at Evergreen.
The Milton Lewis Young Marines also gave a presentation of colors during Monday’s ceremony, Alachua County Board of County Commissioners Chair Ken Cornell, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward and U.S. Army veteran Archie “Jumpmaster” Melendez giving remarks.
“As we work 250 years of this nation’s life, we’re called to reflect on what has sustained it,” Cornell said. “Not just geography of government, but the willingness of ordinary Americans in every era and from every walk in life to place something larger than themselves above their own safety and comfort. That is a thread that runs from Lexington and Concord, to Normandy, to Fallujah. It runs through this cemetery, and it runs through this community.”
The Gainesville Brass Quintet played melodies of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Taps” and “God Bless America”, carrying the patriotic tunes into the barbecue lunch provided by Milam Funeral Home and Sonny’s BBQ.
Alachua County Veteran Services also conducted a bell ceremony, ringing a bell almost 200 times in honor of every local veteran who died over the past year in the “sacred duty to remember,” before Gold Star families were honored.
Gold Star families are those who have lost family members during military service. All in attendance were honored with gift bags, and representatives from Evergreen Cemetery unveiled a new Gold Star monument at the Veterans Monument.
The monument features a quote from General Raymond Odierno, as well as inscriptions of dates significant to when Gold Star families received national recognition.
“The nation recognizes that no one has given more to the nation than the families of the fallen,” said Gold Star mom Ronna Jackson. “To every Gold Star family here today, this monument is for you. It is Gainesville’s way of saying we honor you, and we will never forget what your family has given.”
Gold Star attendees, parents James and Donna Islam, lost their 18-year-old son, U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Joshua Islam, on January 13, 2014. The couple now distributes dog tags with the Bible verse Joshua 1:9, the verse they gave their son when he left for boot camp, in Josh’s honor.
James, who works with the Young Marines program, said Memorial Day and each day that’s passed since Josh’s death has taught him to live like every day is a gift—and to teach others the same.
“We went out and put flags on graves on Saturday, and we stopped at Josh’s grave marker, and I said a few words to him,” James said. “One of my messages was don’t waste a day. Every day is precious. We teach [the Young Marines] to regard life as precious and valuable and a treasure and a gift, to make sure not to waste any of it.”
Ward encouraged attendees to leave the ceremony remembering all who died for the U.S. by embracing the freedoms and ideas they fought for.
“These veterans did not simply die for a flag or a government, they died for the idea that every person deserves to live in freedom and dignity,” he said. “The best way we can honor that sacrifice is to keep working together to make Gainesville and the larger community, the state, and our nation worthy of it.”
