Antioch honors those fallen in battle during annual Memorial Day ceremonies
By Allen Payton
A few hundred Antioch residents gathered under cloudy skies at the Oak View Memorial Park on Monday morning, to celebrate Memorial Day and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
With the theme from the book of John, chapter 15, verse 13 in the Bible, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” the ceremonies were led by Antioch Mayor Wade Harper and Antioch School Board President Joy Motts.
Beginning with a prelude by the Deer Valley High School band and followed by a motorcycle procession led by the Patriot Sentinel Riders Veterans Motorcycle Club, the audience was led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Isabella Alfonso and enjoyed the National Anthem sung by Carolina Bruno.
Following greetings by Congressman Jerry McNerney and speakers Tom Karas, the Commander of VFW Post #6435 and LTC Taddeo (Retired), the two winners of the student essay contest, first for high school, Erin McDaid and then for middle school, Jade Estrada, read their essays.
That was followed by a variety of remembrances, including the POW/MIA Table, the presentation of the Memorial Walls, the Two Bell cermony, the presentation of the Wreath by Harper and Karas, the placement of a rose on the 9-11 Monument by former Mayor Jim Davis and Tony Fettig of the American Legion Post 161, and finally the 21-gun salute, closing prayer and the playing of taps.
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Antioch Memorial Day 2013
