Carthage Residents Honor Veterans

CARTHAGE, MO - More than one hundred people gathered at Park Cemetery in Carthage for a Memorial Day celebration. Resident Lori Buresh says as a veteran, there is something special about events like this one.

"I'm a navy veteran and my husband is retired navy, and for us Veterans Day , Memorial Day , any patriotic holiday means a lot to us because of our military background."

The Buresh family has been attending the ceremony for the past four years. And at four and five-year's-old it's something her kids have been attending almost their entire lives.

"It's important for our children to see it. We are no longer in the military service so we're not surrounded by it everyday but they need to still remember what it means, and that there is something special about July 4th and Memorial Day," said Buresh. "It's not just barbecues, there's a history to it," she added.

Highlights of the ceremony included a reading of the names of local service men and women who have passed away in the last year, a speech from Sgt. Robert Cann - a U.S. Marine who has served overseas in Iraq, and a ceremonial flag folding.

Sergeant Cann says even people who couldn't attend a ceremony today can still show appreciation towards those who have served.

"There is definitely a price that is paid and it's not always the price of a human life," said Cann. "We dedicate our lives to this country and service this nation and it's people so if you get a chance just tell somebody thank you," he added.