Celebrating Memorial Day in Middle River

Jason Doterweich had never heard of the in Middle River until recently.

Not long ago, Dotterweich, a member of the Glenn L. Martin Civil Air Patrol, was at a ceremony in town when organizers of the annual at Holly Hill Memorial Gardens approached him and others in the patrol about getting involved in their event.

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Dotterweich said it would be an honor to help honor the troops on Memorial Day.

So, Dotterwiech, along with fellow Civil Air Patrol members Shannon Troy and Sierra Kikas, presented the colors Monday during the Lamky, Luther, Whitehead Veterans Memorial ceremony.

The Civil Air Patrol were among the dozens of people who came out to pay their respects to local residents who died in combat and/or honorably served in the armed forces.

Local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, along with area American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War posts also participated in the ceremony, which included singing patriotic songs, laying carnation and wreaths at the base of the memorial and reading the names of those inscribed on the memorial.

“It was really special to be able to honor those who helped keep us free,” Dotterweich said. “More people, especially younger people, should come out to this memorial and learn about those from our community that fought for our country.”

Monday’s ceremony was also the first for Floyd Modispaw. The 42-year-old Rosedale resident served in the Navy from 1992-1997 and is commander-elect of VFW Post 6506.

Modispaw said being out at the memorial was a powerful experience for him and just wishes more people would take the time to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day.

“We need more events like this,” Modispaw said. “There are a lot of veterans out there that don’t think that the sacrifices they make are appreciated.

“We need to let them know we are there for them. That is something we at the VFW are trying to attack, especially for those younger veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. We’re out there to let veterans know that the VFW is not just for old veterans. If you have served in a war, we’re there for you. Not just on Memorial Day, but every day.”

Lamky, Luther, Whitehead Veterans Memorial president Tony DeRuggiero said Monday’s ceremony is a great way for people to step away from the cookouts and sales often associated with the holiday and allow people to reflect on what the holiday truly means.

“This is what it’s all about,” he said. “Let’s think about those that made the supreme sacrifice for this country.”

What does Memorial Day mean to you? Tell us in the comments section below.