Memorial Day in Lockney (courtesy photo)
LOCKNEY, TX – This past Monday, Veterans Memorial Park in Lockney hosted a gathering of Veterans and citizens to unite to pay respect and remember those who served our great country and made the ultimate sacrifice. But the tribute to the fallen did not begin with the ceremony observed at the park on Monday morning. It began weeks ago as members of the American Legion Post 141 in Lockney began to plan for the day’s mission, honoring their fallen brothers and sisters.
As the weekend began, six individuals, some Veterans and some citizens, met at the park to pick up trash, weed eat, mow the grass, and trim the trees. As they labored together, many projects and general maintenance needs were noted, and discussion was had about setting aside one Saturday a month to meet at the park and work to keep it clean and nice. This is the least that can be done to honor the many names listed on plaques and memorial crosses at the park. So, all you Lockney readers and anyone who would like to help, keep your eyes open for notifications when we begin this worthy work.
On Sunday morning, many of the Lockney congregations paid their respects to Memorial Day in whatever fashion seemed appropriate. The author of this article can only speak for the Main Street Church of Christ, where I minister and preach. The sermon was titled “The Ultimate Sacrifice” and compared the sacrifices countless men and women in the Armed Services have paid for our freedom from tyranny and oppression and the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for our freedom from sin and the fear of death. The 9 AM broadcast of ‘Cogitations’ on 106.1 Flip-FM, where this author is the host, also delivered a similar message.
When 4:30 PM on Sunday rolled around, over a dozen individuals arrived at the local Lockney cemetery. These individuals worked together to ensure that every grave that belonged to a Veteran had an American Flag placed on it. The cemetery in Lockney is the final resting place for the remains of Veterans spanning all conflicts reaching back to the Civil War. It is a truly humbling site once the work is done to stand in the middle of the cemetery and slowly spin and see numerous American Flags surrounding you on all sides, realizing that each one marks the site of one who served this country…served each of us.
After the sunset on Sunday and made its way to the dawning of a new day, we find it looking down on the humble Veterans Memorial Park in Lockney as several individuals began at 9 AM to set up for the ceremonial observance that would start at 10:30 AM. Again, we find a mix of community members present to lend a hand. Young and old, men and women, veterans and civilians, with various shades of skin, all come together to ensure that all will be ready for the event of the day. And once all preparations were completed, the work was not finished, for the event still needed to be executed.
As the hands of the clock pointed at 10:30, the crowd was welcomed by Ed Marks, and this author had the honor of leading a prayer and introducing Dawson Enloe from Cap Rock. Dawson is a former Marine who served four years on active duty and four in the inactive reserve. During his service with the Marine Expeditionary Unit, he put boots on the ground in several countries. Dawson was accompanied by his wife Tammy, a Veteran of the Air Force, and their two children. Dawson not only delivered an excellent message regarding the importance of remembering those who died in service to this country but also issued a challenge for all of us living today to spend each and every day serving others. His message was interwoven with his stories, reflections, and insightful references from God’s Word. After Dawson concluded his comments, Ed Marks read the roll of the fallen, those in Floyd County that had given their lives in service to our Country. As Ed read each name, Coltin Gaither stood by and rang a bell mounted at the park, receiving eight rings after all the names had been read and the watch secured. Then seven rifles held by seven Veterans fired three volleys…the traditional twenty-one-gun salute for the fallen and Taps was played by Dr. Kevin Stennett.
Following the conclusion of the ceremony, the participants lingered in the park to eat hot dogs and hamburgers provided by the American Legion Post 141, with some local First Responders, coaches, and City Hall staff helping cook and serve, and desserts provided by the board members of the Lockney Senior Center. It was a busy weekend, but a very good weekend. It was good to see throughout the planning, preparation, execution, and attendance to see various people and components of the Lockney community work together and come together to honor those that gave it all.
(Carl Hartman is the Minister at Main Street Church of Christ in Lockney)
