The Church Point community is honoring fallen veterans this Memorial Day with a unique three-day ceremony.
VFW Post 9903 and American Legion Post 225 have partnered for the past five years to hold 'Church Point 21.' Starting Saturday and through Monday, from sunrise to sunset, 21 fallen veterans from the Church Point area are honored in a special display. Every hour on the hour, a slow sentry patrols through the grounds.
The three-day memorial is special to members of the VFW and American Legion, and organizers hope it helps make others in the community aware of just how important Memorial Day is.
"Those people took their last breaths in a foreign soil for all of us. Not just this area, but throughout the United States," explained Albert Meche. "This is our way to honor them."
The memorial will end on Monday at 6 p.m. with a closing ceremony, during which the names of each veteran will be called aloud and family members will ring a bell to remember their loved one.
"It's not a long ceremony. But if you're a true patriot, it rings in here too," said Meche, pointing to his heart. "Not just that bell."
Of the 21 veterans being honored, 14 fought in World War II, 3 fought in the Vietnam War, and 4 fought in the Korean War. Meche said he believes the military isn't valued as much as it used to be.
"If it wouldn't be for the military, we might not be speaking English. We might be speaking German or Japanese."
Meche explained that he and other veterans hope to educate younger generations and those who may not be aware of Memorial Day's true meaning. It's not just about having a BBQ or crawfish boil, he said.
"There should be a solemn moment somewhere in there for our fallen comrades who are no longer with us but have fought for us to be here."
Below is a list of the Church Point 21:
Andrus James Blanchard
Wendell Guillory
Christopher Kelly
Harold Raymond Comeaux
Leroy Miller
Bernard Young
John Rodney Bergeron
John Lyons
Allen Bellard
Robert Bernard
David Jules Benoit
Kermit LeJeune
Shelly Lafleur
LeRoy Frank
Levy Blanchard
Lolly Alfred Daugereaux
Joseph Bellard
Lucien Bellard
Albert Roy Horecky
Amos Boudreaux
Clement Thibodeaux
For more on events happening around Acadiana this Memorial Day weekend, click here.
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