Rain does not deter Medford from honoring the fallen

Memorial Day observances go on as planned

Everybody made the best of it, even though the rain was quite heavy at times Monday, May 25, at Oak Grove Cemetery. City officials, veterans, families with young children, seniors, speakers, musicians, singers and video technicians, all sported raincoats, huddled under umbrellas, took refuge under the tree canopies, or just stood out in the rain to honor the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country.

In fact, as puddles formed along the sides of the road in the Cemetery, young children splashed in them or looked to see what they could find under the water.

Across the other side of the World War II section of the cemetery, Medford Community Chorale Director Betsy Pesce and accompanist Lucas Brown could be seen wiping down the keyboard and shielding the sheet music as best they could under a leaky tent.

Members of the Chorale and the Youth/Young Adult Chorus held umbrellas over their heads while seated waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Members of the Medford Scout troops walked around distributing programs and then stood out in the open to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

In her remarks, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn said, "Thank you for joining us on this rainy morning as we honor and remember the sacrifices of our fallen service members, the men and women who so bravely served our country, protecting our way of life, and made the ultimate sacrifice."

"We hold on to their memories," the mayor said, "and remain forever grateful for their unwavering commitment to defending the freedoms we too often take for granted."

"It's important that we remember the true meaning of this holiday," Lungo-Koehn said. "This is a day where we honor our fellow Americans who have fought for our community and our nation. We pay tribute to their selflessness, courage, and unconditional dedication to our country."

The mayor also thanked the Gold Star families and the men and women currently serving in the U.S. armed forces.

Veterans Services Director Veronica Shaw, who is a retired Army veteran, said of Memorial Day, "It's not just about honoring the fallen in some distant, abstract way. It's personal... It's the empty seat that should still be filled. It's remembering that last conversation you didn't know would be the last. It's carrying both pride and grief at the same time and realizing they don't cancel each other out, they live side by side."

Shaw said that while the phrase "they gave the ultimate sacrifice" is true, it can lose its meaning when repeated so many times.

"So, today, I want to slow that down," Shaw said. "They gave birthdays. They gave holidays. They gave the chance to grow old to the people they love."

In return, she said, what we can give is not just a day but commitments, a commitment to take care of the families they leave behind and a commitment to live in a way that honors what they gave up.

"Remembrance isn't passive, it's active," Shaw said. "It shows up in how we treat each other and how we serve our communities and how we carry forward the values they stood for, duty, loyalty, service, and sacrifice, and love of something greater than themselves. And, for those of us who are grieving today, whether that grief is fresh or decades old, you are not alone. It's okay to feel it, it's okay to miss them, because grief is just love with nowhere to go, and on a day like today, we give it somewhere to land."

City Councilor Justin Tseng spoke on behalf of Councilor Matt Leming, who was recently deployed from the U.S. Navy Reserves.

"This country was set into motion with an idea so revolutionary, we're still growing into it, the idea that we can build a country of the people by the people for the people, that true power comes from the people and not a pre-ordained elite...," Tseng said.

"Our founders called it a more perfect union, not a perfect one, more perfect, always becoming, never finished, always demanding something from the living. and, even when it was forced there, even when it cost everything, it has always moved in that direction, towards freedom, and liberty, and justice for all," Tseng said.

Constance Shaw, the daughter of retired Army veterans Veronica and David Shaw, said, "Memorial Day has always meant something different in my family. For some people, it's the mark of the beginning of summer. For us, it has always been about remembrance, sacrifice, and service. It's about understanding that freedom has a cost, that generations before us chose to pay that cost for people they would never meet."

"In our home, service was never just a job," Shaw said, "it was a responsibility. It was helping people even when it was hard. It was showing up even when nobody was watching."

Her older brother, she said, is on active duty, and she will be leaving for basic training in July.

"This is who I was raised to be," Shaw said.

Here are more images from the ceremony: