For their service and sacrifices
Pinellas County residents - young and old - came out this past weekend to honor America's fallen heroes.
Sarge the bald eagle from McGough Nature Park in Largo made several appearances at Memorial Day ceremonies May 28, including at Veterans Memorial Park in Oldsmar, above, and in the evening at the Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo.
On May 26, a few hundred people including many Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts from the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council put flags on the headstones of all the veterans who are interred at Bay Pines Cemetery. Shown is Jackson Latto, son of Celeste Latto, placing the flag at the grave of his great-grandfather Robert Colgan. The Lattos live in Seminole.
Cub Scout Eric Abbott places a flag at Serenity Gardens Memorial Park in Largo on May 26. His brother Ryan, also a Cub Scout, planted flags throughout the cemetery in advance of Memorial Day observances on May 29.
Charles Payne, who was part of the first wave of U.S. Army soldiers during the Normandy invasion in World War II meets local children who painted rocks that they distributed to veterans. Payne lives in Dunedin and was an honored guest at the Dunedin VFW Post 2550’s Memorial Day ceremony.
Members of the Post participate in a champagne toast in honor of fallen veterans.
Post members and guests participate in a flag-raising ceremony.
