City of Opelika honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day with event at City Hall

By Morgan Bryce and Rachel King
Opelika Observer

Commemorating the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans was the focal point of a Memorial Day service held in front of Opelika’s City Hall Monday.
The ceremony included the presentation of colors and laying of the wreath by the Opelika Fire Department Honor Guard, playing of Taps by Opelika High School Band Director Neil Sasser and a speech by guest speaker Vann Daughtry.
Daughtry, an Opelika native and retired U.S. Army Sgt., spoke on the relevance and meaning of the holiday to the approximately 100 people who attended.
“… this is the way of the military, where so often, duty requires soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guard to put their lives on the line. The men and women who gave their lives in service to this nation are by, no doubt, heroes,” Daughtry said. “When their country called, they answered. Some volunteered, some were drafted, but it didn’t make any difference how they found their way into the ranks of the military … each took it upon themselves to serve faithfully and to their fullest.”
Following the service, the Museum of East Alabama hosted an ice cream social.
This year marks the 149th Memorial Day celebration, originally known as Decoration Day. Created in 1868, the day’s purpose was to honor and remember those who served in the Civil War. The national holiday now honors those who gave their live in of all of America’s wars.