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McKenzie Hosts Annual Memorial Day Event

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McKENZIE (May 29) — Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, commemorated to honor the memory of the troops who never returned home from battle. The City of McKenzie hosted a Memorial Day ceremony Monday at 10 a.m. for citizens to honor and memorialize loved ones who sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom.

McKenzie Mayor Ryan Griffin opened the annual ceremony by delivering the Pledge of Allegiance.

This year’s ceremony featured Madelyn Morris, 2022 winner of the VFW Post 4939 Patriot Pen award, as guest speaker. Morris, the daughter of Marty and Amanda Morris, delivered her winning speech themed “My Pledge to Our Veterans.” Morris quoted former President Ronald Reagan in her speech, and she said she intends to lead by his example to share and promote her pride for America and its troops.

Morris is an incoming freshman at McKenzie High School.

Dana Deem, a retired master sergeant of the U.S. Air Force and member of American Legion Post 37, delivered a Memorial Day poem.

Trudi Bannister performed “The Star Spangled Banner,” and Wayne Bannister performed “God Bless America.”

Veterans of each of the military branches were honored.

The ceremony concluded after Dana Deem and Steve Davis, VFW Post 4939 Commander and retired sergeant major of the U.S. Army, placed a wreath in front of the war memorial at Veteran’s Park in downtown McKenzie. The retired sergeants saluted to the wreath as “Taps” played.

The Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 4939 served refreshments at the ceremony’s conclusion.