Memorial Day

Christian Village remembers the fallen, honors the living on Memorial Day

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[May 29, 2015]  LINCOLN - On Monday afternoon, the Christian Village hosted a special Memorial Day event in the main dining room of the Skilled Nursing Facility. Several residents and their family members gathered to witness a flag-folding ceremony and enjoy patriotic music and a message from Chaplain Ryan Edgecombe.

The program was led by Christian Village Administrator Jo Hilliard, and Director of Independent Living Services, Julie King. Special guests were the American Legion Color Guard.

The afternoon began with Hilliard, King, and Edgecombe leading the group in a few patriotic songs. As the ceremony began, the Color Guard marched in and presented the United States Flag to the group.

In the front row of the audience, most all of the attendees were veterans who reside at the Christian Village.

The event was formally called a Flag Folding Ceremony. The flag that was to be folded, Edgecombe explained, had been flown over Washington D.C. last fall on Veterans Day. It would be folded and installed in a wooden triangle, to be displayed in the Village’s new Memory Care Center once it is completed.

Edgecombe also pointed out a new feature in the dining room, a Veterans Wall. There are Veteran Walls in the Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living building and the garden apartments area that hold photos of the Veterans living in those respective areas.

Edgecombe began his discussion talking about the history of Memorial Day. It was founded directly after the Civil War by John Logan, and was officially called Decoration Day.

Edgecombe read a well-known poem, In Flander’s Fields. He drew attention to one particular phrase, "To you from failing hands we throw the torch to yours to hold it high." He noted, “Not only are we observing Memorial Day, Decoration Day, today we are also dedicating our Wall of Honor, our Veterans Wall. So when I read the words of that poem, 'with our failing hands we throw to yours to hold it high,' I have a lot of gratitude, a lot of joy. Because I can look at this wall, I can look at our veterans gathered here today, and I can say I know there have been others who have grabbed that torch, and held it high. We are here today because brave men and women have not only fought and died for this nation, but have lived for this nation.”

He said the veteran residents of Christian Village were living torches.

After closing in prayer, Edgecombe called the Color Guard to fold the flag. The flag was then presented to Christian Village resident and veteran, Richard Miller, who accepted the flag on behalf of all veterans at the Christian Village.

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As the flag was being folded. Color Guard leader Bob Sullivan spoke, “This banner of love and devotion now being folded is a memorial to all our comrades who passed on through the years.”

He went on to explain the colors of the flag with blue representing the sky that overlooks the land and God eternal. The red stripes represented the blood, sweat and tears of soldiers who defended the land, and the white stripes represented a hope and desire for peace in our nation.

When the flag was folded, Sullivan placed it inside a wooden triangle being held by Miller. King led the group in singing, God Bless America.

With the flag presented, Hilliard said the Logan County Quilters Guild had made patriotic lap blankets for all the veterans at Christian Village. She, King, Edgecombe and Christian Village community liaison, Julie Bobell, handed out blankets to all the veterans present.

After closing prayer had been offered by Hilliard, all the veterans in the room were called to the front for a group photo. The group photo comprised resident veterans plus one staff member who is a veteran.

The Christian Village is celebrating many milestones this year. In their 50th year, they have made the commitment to expand their services and a new building project is underway. The Veteran Walls in each of the living areas are new this year. The flag folded on Monday will be set aside to go into in the new Memory Care Center.

[Nila Smith]

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