WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – The ceremony at the Woodbury Lions Veterans Memorial was a solemn occasion to honor U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“It is this holiday that allows us to celebrate all the other holidays,” Woodbury Mayor Anne Burt told the audience.
Burt also acknowledged the architect of the memorial, Dick Krumm, who died Saturday after a brief illness. “Thank you, Dick, for creating this lasting memory for us,” she said.
American Legion Woodbury Post 501 Commander Bob Dolan was thankful for the sunshine after experiencing rainy weather last year. He said the paver bricks that memorialize soldiers at the site offer a lot of history.
“We gather so that we can remember their sacrifices and celebrate the fact that throughout our history this country produces such men and women of honor,” Dolan said. “We must not forget that.”
The ceremony included color guards, music by the Twin Cities Trumpet Ensemble, and the placement of a wreath to honor fallen comrades and Minnesota veterans who were lost to suicide last year.
Maj. Tyler Kistner of the U.S. Marine Corps, delivered the Memorial Day address. A Minnesota native, Kistner is the Senior Counterterrorism Policy and Programs Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. Kistner is also a Republican candidate for the Second Congressional District seat that includes part of Woodbury.
Kistner asked the service members and veterans in attendance to stand and told them: “Thank you all for your service and sacrifice to this country.”
The parking lot near the memorial included displays and information from groups offering help and support to veterans.
