Blooming Prairie gathers to honor deceased vets Memorial Day program draws a crowd

Despite the cloudy skies, families and friends filled the Blooming Prairie Servicemen’s Club to honor deceased veterans. 
The Blooming Prairie American Legion, the VFW posts and their Auxiliaries hosted the annual program.Veteran Tom Walters welcomed the crowd and VFW Chaplain Bev Holland read the opening prayer. 
The veterans entered the room in formation and uniform equipped with flags and rifles and every one sang in unison as the Blooming Prairie High School Band played “The Star-Spangled Banner.” 
After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Joyce Johns took the podium to share a patriotic reading and asked that audience members to visualize themselves at the cemetery. 
“We walk among the tombstones where our fallen soldiers lie and listen to the bugle as taps begin to play. The chaplain led a prayer, we stand with heads bowed low and we think of fallen comrades we had known so long ago. They came from every city across this fertile land, that we might have freedom they lay here beneath the sand. We felt a little guilty a sacrifice was small. We only lost a little time, but these men lost their all,” Johns said. “As we gather here for this Memorial Day to the names upon these stones, we just want to say thanks for what you have given no one could ask for more. May you rest with God in heaven from now through evermore.”
Rev. Steve Peterson, of St. Columbanus Catholic Church, thanked the American Legion and veterans for inviting him to be at the event, read a reading from the First Letter of Peter and followed with the address. 
“As we know this day is set aside by our country to remember those who have died in war. These are the men and women in the military service who have given their lives to insure our freedom and independence from foreign domination and those not in the military who actively gave their lives in war as well and to remember the many innocent victims of war,” Peterson said. “This special day is celebrated with parades, visits to the cemetery, ball games, picnics all of which are good and have their right place, but Memorial Day, as its name suggests, is a day of memory.” 
Peterson continued, “Many of those that we remember today gave their very lives for others. What more can one give than that and what better reason to honor their memory. Today we remember and honor those who gave so much for us.” 
The band, under the direction of Ross Reihus, played a couple of patriotic selections and the firing squad marched outside of the Servicemen’s Club to fire three shots in a tribute to the fallen soldiers followed by the playing of Taps. 
Holland closed the ceremony with a closing prayer and a potluck dinner was served for veterans and their families. 
Following the potluck Quilts of Valor were presented to local veterans along with a presentation that recognized the 2014-2015 VFW. 
Veteran Tom Walters, who is originally from Hallock, Minnesota served in the United States Air Force for two years and was very pleased with the turnout for the event. 
“I thought it turned out very well considering we really planned to be outside so we really had to make some adjustments,” Walters said. 
Walters says Memorial Day programs are important because “We have so many people that have done so much for us to keep our country free. The playing of the Taps always gets me.”