Evesham Township once again paid tribute to those who died serving their country with the township’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony on May 24.
With the event held at the township’s municipal building on the Friday morning before the Memorial Day Weekend, this year’s event brought together veterans, members of the community, local elected officials, members of the Evesham Township Police Department, members of Evesham Fire-Rescue and more.
The event opened with a presentation of flags from the Cherokee High School JROTC, as well as a rendition of the national anthem sang by Carmen Malatino and an opening prayer from Pastor John Wegner of Marlton Assembly of God.
Delivering opening remarks for the event was Councilwoman Patricia Hansen, who said she was honored to join everyone at the event in honoring the sacrifice of those service members who gave their lives defending the nation.
“The service members we honor today came from all walks of life, but they shared several fundamental qualities – courage, honor, determination, selflessness, dedication to duty and integrity,” Hansen said. “These are all the qualities needed to serve a cause larger than oneself.”
Also speaking at this year’s event was New Jersey Eighth Legislative District Assemblyman Ryan Peters, who served as a U.S. Navy Seal.
“Freedom isn’t free,” Peters said. “We all went over, we fought…but I do remember that I was the one that came home and some of my brothers weren’t as lucky.”
Similar to past events, this year’s Memorial Day Ceremony also included a presentation of three new bricks for the township’s Veterans Commemorative Walkway outside of the township building.
Locals can order the bricks for the walkway engraved with the name of someone who serves or has previously served in in the military.
Councilman Bob DiEnna, himself having served in the U.S. Marine Corps, spoke the names for this year’s presentation of bricks, which included the names: Edward DiMingo, Joseph McGuigan and John Park Sr.
Upon taking the dais, DiEnna pointed to the sky and said he would yield any applause to those who didn’t make it.
“Memorial Day is happy and sad at the same time – it’s happy for all the gifts given to us by people we don’t even know, and it’s sad because they can’t be here,” DiEnna said.
This year’s ceremony also included a presentation of a wreath for the walkway by Jim O’Brien and a presentation of a photo by Lucille Nuzzie on behalf of the Senior Citizen Memorial Project.
After a rendition of “God Bless America” once again sang by Malatino and the playing of “Taps” by the Cherokee High School Bugler, the ceremony ended with closing comments from Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper.
Cooper spoke of the military service of her grandfather, father and nephews and she thanked those in attendance for honoring those gave their lives for the nation.
“I’m am grateful for my freedom and the freedom that has been fought for so I can live in this country free, as well as my children and their children to come,” Cooper said.
Cooper also said that although Mayor Jaclyn Veasy could not be at the ceremony, due to a work commitment, Veasy sent her greetings and her thankfulness for those who had lost their lives while serving.
Veasy, who was able to attend a separate Memorial Day ceremony earlier in the morning at Van Zant Elementary School where she helped students ‘welcome home’ two U.S. Army Specialists, also recently spoke about the meaning of the Memorial Day holiday in recent comments she made in a special “Mayor’s Message” submitted to The Sun.
“I am especially grateful to these incredible men and women who laid down their life to protect our democracy and our American values,” Veasy said. To the families who bear the grief of this sacrifice, we honor you and your loved one every day and we promise to never forget that freedom is not free.”
For more information on ordering bricks for Veterans Commemorative Walkway, contact the township’s Public Affairs Office at (856) 985-9792.
