Eldred Township's Veterans Commission held a solemn service for America's fallen heroes on Monday, May 26 in front of the Veterans Memorial at the Eldred Township municipal building in Kunkletown.

Members of the Veterans Commission read poems, like "In Flanders' Field" (Janet Smith) and "Let's Roll" (Gladys Frable.) Helen Mackes led all in prayer and said Memorial Day was "Our day to be together to remember our veterans." Smith led the gathering in singing, "The Star Spangled Banner," "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and "God Bless America."Marlene Prutzman read some Memorial Day quotes, such as "So long as there are men, there will be wars," by Albert Einstein and "Soldier rest! thy warfare o'er, Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking; Dream of battled fields no more, Days of danger, nights of waking," by Sir Walter Scott.Christman also gave a short background on what poppies symbolize. Following the trench warfare which took place in the poppy fields of Flanders, Belgium, during the first World War, red poppies have become a symbol of remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime.Prutzman mentioned that she learned someone with her maiden name of Christman, was the first soldier to be buried in the Arlington National Cemetery on May 13, 1864. He was 21-year-old Private William Christman of 67th Pennsylvania Infantry, who had died of peritonitis during the Civil War.Lorraine Everett related when, how and why there is a Memorial Day and gave special recognition to Kunkletown's own. They are: Donald Andrews, Leon Frantz, Floyd Green and Alton Meckes having died during World War II; Alton Christman, during the Korean War.Prutzman ended the ceremony with a reading of the words to "Taps." "Day is done, gone the sun, From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky, All is well, safely rest, God is nigh."