Proctor Remembers Those Who Died Keeping Us Free
PROCTOR, MINN. –One of the Northland’s first Memorial Day observances took place in Proctor. Family and friends gathered at the Community Center to remember and honor their beloved heroes
“Well, you know, our veterans give the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms, so the least we can do is come together, over Memorial Day to recognize that sacrifice that so many veterans and their families have given us, and you know, you hear the bagpipes play, you hear the music, you sing God Bless America, said State Senator Grant Hauschild (D)it’s really a coming together of the whole community, to recognize our veterans and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, and what a better way to do it than come together like this.>
It was a gathering of about 80 people, including the Proctor High School band. It featured guest speakers and Maureen Breemeersch who sang God Bless America. She said, “For me this time, it was a little bit nerve-racking, I have sung it many times before, but I have never sung it alone, and so I was apprehensive, but it’s one of my favorite patriotic songs. It’s nice to see so many people come out, I’m born and raised in Proctor myself, and a lot of people I’ve known for many years, but it’s nice to have them come and recognize the service that some of our citizens have been very proud to serve in the military”
Following the ceremony, a group of American Legion members visited six cemeteries in the area.
One of them was the Solway Township Cemetery. There, veterans were honored and remembered by local people who were visiting to pay their respects to the fallen military members.
Others were visiting to remember relatives who had passed
“As a family, we’ve been coming here for a number of years. It’s important for Memorial Day for us to be here and visit with our relatives who are gone. There are a lot of people from the community who come out here as well.”
An honor guard made up of Proctor American Legion members was at the cemetery and performed a three-volley salute. A bagpiper was also on hand, filling the air with a mournful sound.
