Jefferson County hosted a Memorial Day picnic to honor fallen service members. The event fostered a sense of civic pride and strengthened community ties. Watch the video to hear from neighbors who have lost loved ones.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
In Jefferson County, neighbors gathered to reflect, remember, and honor the service members who gave their lives for our country.
Im Lentheus Chaney, your Monticello neighborhood reporter, speaking with veterans and neighbors about remembrance, resilience, and keeping history alive.
The American Legion Otto M. Walker Post 49 opened its doors this Memorial Day for more than just a picnic. It was a day of reverence.
Every chair in the Legion hall was filled, with some standing along the walls, as veterans, neighbors, and city leaders came together for a formal ceremony to honor the fallen.
Among the speakers, Lt. Col. Byron J. Arceneaux. He’s a Post 49 member. He recently returned from a six-month deployment to Guam and Tinian.
Arceneaux says he reenlisted after 11 years away from active duty as a way to continue supporting his country and family.
Aside from marrying my wife and accepting Jesus Christ as my savior. This is the best thing that happened to me. Like getting back in and I didnt realize how much I missed the mission and the people and working, Arceneaux said.
Neighbor Ola Sheffield attended in memory of two family members. Both were Jefferson County natives who died while serving.
Were not only the only county that connects Georgia and the Gulf of Mexico, were the county that just does those things differently. So, to walk into that building today and to see all the red white and blue, it just kinda makes your heart feel good all over, Sheffield said.
Following the ceremony, the post welcomed everyone to stay for a community picnic, turning remembrance into shared conversation and connection.
The U.S. Census Bureau says Jefferson County is home to more than 1,280 veterans; so its no surprise so many came together to honor their own and celebrate a legacy of service and community.
In Monticello, Im Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.
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