In Our View: Remember the sacrifice
Memorial Day 2024.
So many view this as the start of summer. It is too common to see the morning news shows start talking about travel deals so viewers can start planning their vacation plans. They’ll trot out the usual travel experts who will give the same travel advice they give every year.
Seemingly lost is the meaning of Memorial Day. Those newscasters, or frankly entertainment reporters, should do their morning programs from Arlington National Cemetery.
In our area, the meaning of Memorial Day is not another day of swimming, golfing or other recreational activity. In Ironton, they’ll have their annual Memorial Day parade. Ironton’s parade is the longest running Memorial Day parade in America.
Ironton families gather the weekend before Memorial Day for the event. Many family members come from out of town in days leading up to the parade. School bands wouldn’t think of missing the parade.
In Grayson, they celebrate all weekend. This is Grayson’s 53rd Memorial Day weekend event. Organizers start planning far in advance of the event.
Our area is rich with military veterans who have served and died for our country. Families have sacrificed their sons and daughters for our freedom.
Many communities recognize that, too. In Armco Park, a group of veterans organized construction of a memorial wall of Boyd Countians who paid the ultimate price. Greenup has a war memorial on U.S. 23. In Ashland, City Commissioner Cheryl Spriggs is working with the local Rotary Club to build a memorial wall with the names of some 54,000 names of those who served in the military. The proposed location is 17th Street and Carter Avenue.
Of course it’s OK to be planning a vacation or doing something fun this day. Don’t forget the sacrifice of those who died or served in the military so we can enjoy the freedom to do so.
