Speakers reminded Friday that Memorial Day is a day of commemoration, not a holiday.
Helen Caulton-Harris, the city's health and human services commissioner and VFW women auxiliary representative, stated over one million Americans had died in war.
“I want you to remember that 1.1 million people and growing have died in defense of this country so that I can stand here and we all can enjoy our freedoms,” Harris added. “We thank our veterans.”
She attended Springfield's Memorial Day ceremony at City Hall on Friday at noon.
Thomas M. Baulton, Springfield's veterans services director, repeated Harris' call to remember the dead.
“We love them in life as veterans, but let us not abandon them in death,” Baulton remarked. “If we can keep that alive, we’ve accomplished what we need as a country.”
During his statement, Vietnam War veteran Gumersindo Gomez prayed for strength to serve veterans. Bilingual Veterans Outreach Centers of Mass. Inc.'s executive director.
“Let’s go out there and celebrate this weekend, enjoy it with our family, but never forget who gave you the right to do that,” Gomez added.
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