Memorial Day Service at RCC a time of reflection, remembrance
Reflect. Honor. Remember. That was the sentiment at the Memorial Day service held at Robeson Community College on Thursday.
“Freedom is not free,” RCC President Melissa said, as she spoke at the ceremony held in the Military Affiliated Resource Center. “Today is a special day for our freedom but it is also a day of remembrance for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”
“As we pause today to reflect, remember and honor those who gave everything for our freedom… I want to make sure to give recognition to our active and retired veteran military members who are with us today,” Singler said.
As service members in the audience stood, they were given a round of applause for their service. As they sat down, President Singler asked everyone to look around the room.
“This is a sacred space on our campus for veterans, active-duty military and their families to access resources, to come and have a place to reflect and just to be,” Singler said. “There are some very important members in our community that made this space happen.”
“Everything that you see in this room is a reflection of our military members and their kindness towards this center,” Singler said. “The Lumbee Warriors, if you look behind me, you see this plaque, the artwork and the uniform donated by Senator Danny Britt… as you are in this space, I invite you to look around at some of the artifacts.”
Guest speaker, Lietenant Colonel (Ret.) Special Forces Angela W. Johnson told the history and culture of Memorial Day, once known as Decorations Day.
“The day it was recognized, March 1, 1866, about 250 former slaves that had been freed in South Carolina, didn’t have much, but they were happy to be out of slavery, so they decorated the graves of the folks that had delivered them from that,” Johnson said.
“Shortly after that, good friends down in the South, they established Confederate Memorial Day around Andrew Jackson’s Birthday which was the 26th of April in 1866,” Johnson told. “One year later in Waterloo, Maine, which is where the genesis for Decorations Day came from, they said, we need to have some parades, some recognition and that type of thing,”
“That culture over a period of time gets kind of incorporated into something besides what those first 250 slaves did or wanted to do to commemorate those who lost their lives,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, only about 1% of United States citizens serve in the military, but the rate of suicide continues to increase.
“Twenty-two veterans a day committing suicide,” Johnson said. “That’s just unheard of when we have got that small population… there is still that feeling of isolation.”
With it being a holiday weekend, Johnson asked that everyone reach out to a veteran they know, and show them that their service was important.
“We want everybody as we go into this weekend, to think about those veterans out there, if you can make a connection with that veteran…talk to them…ask them about the good times they experienced in the military,” Johnson said. “Those small things are the difference between someone remaining isolated… and getting connected.”
With the high rate of suicide, Johnson shared a resource that could be used by veterans or anyone thinking of committing suicide.
“988,” Johnson said. “If you don’t have anything else, that’s a resource. Talk to Uncle Joe, get him to tell you something funny he did while in the military, if he’s got some of that pressure on him, get him to use that 988 number.”
The ceremony ended with the placing of the Memorial Day wreath by the flagpoles located just outside of Building 13.
“We thank those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their lives, so that we could stand here today and be free, joined together, and share all the freedoms we have,” said Dr. Johnny Smith, the Chief Academic Officer. “As we leave today, let’s continue to commemorate and reflect on those sacrifices.”
