Inside the mausoleum chapel, Post 11 Commander Don Tolar greeted everyone, and members of the Pickens High School JROTC (Mikayla Bennefield, Peyton Davis, Ruth Looper, Toby Spencer, and Hannah Standifer) presented the colors.

Tolar asked all to rise and face the American flag and salute as a recording of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the national anthem, was played, and then everyone recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Gary Parsons, Chaplain for American Legion Pickens Post 11, then opened with prayer.

“Good morning, everyone,” said Tolar. “Thank you for coming out on this day. We’re here to honor the ones who sacrificed everything.

“Today, on Memorial Day, we gather not simply for a long weekend or a tradition on the calendar, but to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to the United States of America.

“Memorial Day reminds us that freedom is never free. Every flag placed at a gravesite, every moment of silence, and every folded banner carried in the arms of a grieving family represents a sacrifice made for something greater than self. These heroes came from small towns and big cities, from every background and every walk of life, but they were united by a willingness to serve in the armed forces and to be part of this country and part of what keeps us free.

“We remember the soldiers who never returned home. We remember the families who carried on without them. And we remember the liberties we enjoy each and every day, because they helped secure our freedom.

“As we spend time with our friends and family today, let us pause to reflect on who cannot be here. Let us teach the next generation the meaning of service and gratitude and what our country stands for. Never forget the cost of the freedoms we enjoy.

“To all who have lost loved ones in military service, we offer our deepest respect and gratitude, for their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

“At this time, I have a letter written from a soldier. He wanted his family to read it if he didn’t make it home.

“‘Dear friends and family, if you are reading this on Memorial Day, I ask only one thing: please remember me. Remember not just how I died, but how I lived. I was someone’s child, someone’s friend, maybe someone’s husband, wife, brother, or sister. I laughed at bad jokes, I missed home-cooked meals, and I dreamed about the future just like you do now. I wore this uniform because I believed the people back home were worth protecting. The long nights, the fear, the sacrifices — they all meant something, because they were for you.

“On Memorial Day, while flags wave and songs are sung, please take one quiet moment for those who never made it home. Speak our names. Tell our stories. Visit the graves that stand silent. Teach your children that freedom always carries a cost.

“Do not remember us only as soldiers. Remember us as people who loved deeply and gave everything we had.

“And if you truly wish to honor us, live well. Be kind to one another. Stand up for what is right. That is how we live on.

“With honor and hope, A Fallen Soldier.’”

Tolar noted that this year is the 250^th anniversary of the United States and he said, “It’s a place we call home, a place we cherish, and two flags (American and state) we honor. This is what we stand for, as a people, each and every day, and we have to teach the next generations. They have to know it means a lot. It’s not just a pretty red, white, and blue flag. There are people who fight for it every day, and there are people who died for it, and there are people who live for it.

“And this is a great nation,” he added. “And that’s due to the fallen and the living who gave up their time in service to defend and honor this country.

“May we carry on their memory going forward, not only today but every day. Thank you, and God bless.”

Everyone in attendance then stood and faced the American flag and saluted or placed their hands over their hears as “Taps” was played.