Belpre Area Veterans members salute the United States and Ohio Flags as BAV Vice President Bob Hatfield, center, salutes in the opposite direction during a Memorial Day Ceremony at Leavitt Funeral Home in Belpre Monday. The ceremony is hosted by Leavitt’s and BAV every year. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

BELPRE — A Memorial Day program that has been running for many years took place in Belpre Monday.

Belpre Area Veterans held its annual Memorial Day program at Leavitt Funeral Home in Belpre Monday morning, which according to BAV Vice President Bob Hatfield was BAV’s 17th Memorial Day program.

The program opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem and BAV member Don “Doc” Ery giving an invocation.

“On this Memorial Day, we have gathered here to remember those that bravely served our great country and as a result of their service were called home to be with the Lord,” Ery said. “Heavenly Father, we ask your blessing upon the souls upon the souls of those good men and women who gave their last breath in defense of our nation, our freedom and our children’s future,” Ery said during the invocation.

Leavitt Funeral Home Belpre Manager Andy Johnson then made opening remarks, thanking everyone for coming out to the program “to remember those, our friends and family, that have gone on before us and to have a time of remembrance … I want to remember all our fallen veterans. We have a lot of good men that we lost this past year.”

A Belpre Area Veterans member salutes during the playing of “Taps” at a Memorial Day ceremony at Leavitt Funeral Home in Belpre Monday. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

A major theme of the program was Arlington National Cemetery, which according to its website is for deceased United States service members and their eligible family members.

Belpre City Council President Larry Martin spoke in place of Mayor Susan Abdella at the program. He said he has visited Arlington National Cemetery several times and he encouraged people attending the program to go.

He said those buried at the cemetery are mainly “average people who did an extraordinary thing” and they deserve to be honored.

“Those people that sacrificed everything they did, deserve to be there and deserve to be honored on a day like today because without those sacrifices … we wouldn’t have the freedom to stand here today and address each other,” Martin said.

Hatfield spoke at the ceremony and emphasized that Memorial Day is not for veterans or active servicemen but for “those who have gone before us, those who died on the beaches of Normandy and in the fields of France and on the islands of Iwo Jima and Peleliu, for those who have given their last breath to this country.”

Belpre Area Veterans Vice President Bob Hatfield speaks during a Memorial Day ceremony in Belpre on Monday. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Former BAV President Bill Harpold gave a history of Arlington National Cemetery, talking about it belonging originally to George Washington’s adopted grandson, how it passed to the family of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, how the U.S. Army seized the property and that it eventually became a national cemetery on June 15, 1864. He also talked about how service members from every war America has had are buried at the cemetery.

BAV Secretary Brian Davis also spoke about the history of Arlington and Hatfield spoke about the regulations at Arlington that govern funerals, burial flags and more.

A video was played of country singer Trace Adkins singing “Arlington,” a song about a young man who serves in the military, dies, and is buried in Arlington where his grandfather also rests.

BAV members gave a rifle salute and Belpre resident Olivia Hall played “Taps.”

Johnson gave closing remarks, thanking attendees and the BAV and letting everyone know there refreshments would be provided after the program.

A soldier’s rifle, boots and helmet stand in homage to those who have died while serving in the United States Military during a Memorial Day ceremony at Leavitt Funeral Home in Belpre Monday. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Hatfield closed the Memorial Day program by talking about an honor flight he took from Columbus to Washington, D.C., and he encouraged any veteran 65 or older to take one, which he said is free for veterans.

“Thank you all for coming,” Hatfield said. “As you go home today and eat your hot dogs and hamburgers, steaks or whatever, please remember our fallen heroes.”

Members of Belpre Area Veterans present the colors during a Memorial Day ceremony at Leavitt Funeral Home in Belpre Monday. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)