More to honor, fewer choose to remember

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Lansing — For Gordon Small, a Lansing resident and Korean War veteran, celebrating Memorial Day evokes more emotion each year, and the lack of community involvement he sees doesn’t help.

“It’s too bad that the citizenry of Lansing just didn’t pour out here to honor these guys,” Small said.

On Saturday, the annual Lansing Memorial Day Parade was held downtown near the Capitol. Kimberly Beauchamp, chief regulator of the parade, said although veterans continue to be active in the parade, the number of spectators seems to decrease each year.

“The parade is a great way to honor past and present veterans,” Beauchamp said. “And it is really a shame because it seems like year after year, there are more people in the parade than watching the parade.”

In this year’s parade, marching bands from Lansing Sexton High School, Everett High School and Eastern High School; the Lansing fire and police departments; members of the American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars and Marine Corps and others marched from Allegan Street around the Capitol.

“I come down every year,” said Marc Bennetts, a Lansing resident and member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. “I wanted to support our veterans — people who have served and are serving our country. More people need to attend. We couldn’t have the country we have today without their sacrifices.”

After the parade, a service honoring all soldiers and veterans was held at Mount Hope Cemetery near downtown Lansing. Small, who attended the service, didn’t want recognition.

He instead insisted that his fellow service people deserved more appreciation and respect.

“I wish that it would get a little more importance,” Small said. “Police and firefighters especially deserve more respect. They lay their lives down on the line every time they leave their houses.”

Also at Mount Hope Cemetery, a special dedication was made to Civil War veterans by members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

Paul David Arnold, the junior vice commander of the organization, said he hoped people would remember Memorial Day isn’t just an excuse for an extra day off.

“Recently, a lot of people have lost track of what the true meaning of Memorial Day is,” Arnold said. “General John Logan was responsible for the formulation of Memorial Day and because of that it basically gave the instruction that May 30 would be set aside for sacrifices that soldiers have made in regards to protecting our freedom.”

Although some were disappointed by the turnout, participants were happy to commemorate those committed to service. Joshua Chapman, an inspector and instructor of active duty Marines, planned to attend the parade and was excited about participating.

“Memorial Day is being able to memorialize people that we have lost,” Chapman said. “It opens eyes a little more. I enjoy doing these things just to get that feeling when people give you a handshake everywhere you go.”

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