A photo, memorial and honoring veterans

It�s been a patriotic whirlwind this week with a presidential visit to Cape Girardeau, the midterm elections Tuesday, and, this weekend, special events in honor of Veterans Day.

The line of people at the Show Me Center on Monday to see President Donald Trump was not unexpected, but still incredible. Lee Greenwood�s performance of �God bless the USA� was fantastic. And the spontaneous start of �Amazing Grace� by the crowd when the president paused his speech so a woman could receive medical treatment was appropriate and moving.

Early Tuesday morning as I looked at the Southeast Missourian�s photo gallery of the rally, there was one photo by Ben Mathews that caused me to pause and reflect on those who serve. A veteran, wearing his military hat with medals pinned along the side, stood at attention and saluted the commander in chief as he entered the arena.

It�s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture sometimes. Politics is important � don�t get me wrong � but there are men and women every day who put their lives on the line to protect ours.

This weekend and Monday, there will be events to honor our veterans. One is Sunday afternoon at Cape County Park North as VFW Post 3838 & Auxiliary and the Joint Veterans Council hold a re-dedication ceremony for Veterans Memorial Plaza.

The plaza has been a major undertaking supported by individual donors, businesses and volunteers. As you drive through the Avenue of Flags, nearly 700 of them in total, there is a space featuring the painted Freedom Rock and a newly-installed granite wall engraved with the names of each veteran for whom the flags represent. To add a flag and veteran�s name to the wall, the deceased individual must have been a resident of Cape Girardeau County at some point in his or her life and been deployed and received a campaign medal from a foreign war.

On Sunday, volunteers will post the flags at 6:30 a.m., followed immediately by a small ceremony in honor of the nine new flags that will be added.

The re-dedication will kick off at 12:30 p.m. with the Jerry Ford Patriotic Band followed by the program at 1 p.m. Food and beverage will be provided free of charge at the event�s conclusion.

The keynote speaker will be Cape Girardeau resident and former Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.

�I don�t believe they�ve ever had a speaker who was not a veteran,� Kinder shared with me Friday. �I am humbled beyond words that they would ask me to speak at this re-dedication. To me, our great task is to make young people especially, but all Americans aware of the debt we owe to those who secured our freedom.�

Kinder called the county memorial one of the best in the nation.

�It�s beautiful, splendid and moving,� he said.

The Avenue of Flags has been in place since 1987, but the plaza has been a work in progress over the last two-plus years. Retired Navy Capt. David Cantrell has been one of the biggest advocates, along with county leadership and a small army of volunteers. More than $250,000 has been raised through donations, dedicated pavers and two golf tournaments, Cantrell said.

�I love America and I�m so happy that I live in a town, a city like Cape Girardeau that is super red, white and blue and still gets it,� Cantrell said, adding many people generously supported the effort.

The flags are posted on Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Patriots Day and Veterans Day. It�s a reminder of the immense sacrifice our service members make on our behalf. On a windy day, you will hear the sound of the flags whipping back and forth. That, coupled with the image of 700 flags, will give you chills.

Take time this weekend to pause and give thanks for our veterans and their service. And to all those who volunteer to help make programs like the Veterans Memorial Plaza possible, thank you.

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.