Besides the veterans, we had what I believe is the local high school's military program--is it called Jr. ROTC? Anyway, they made a nice impression:
And one of the county high school's bands came out in full force:
And the whole point was to thank our veterans for their service to our country. This poem sums up what an immense debt we owe them, why we should be thankful to them every day--not just one day a year!
IT IS THE SOLDIER
It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
©Copyright 1970, 2005 by Charles M. Province
