 is 11. 11 a.m. in his memorial day. So we are we're glad to have you. Those of you who were able to come out today. Um, sometimes, um, we, uh, we viewed it Memorial Day as the beginning of summer. We have a tendency to say, well, this is where summer starts. But there's so much more to Memorial Day, so much more to acknowledging those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and laid their lives down for who we are as a nation today. So we're proud to be here at Memorial Day. We're proud to be here again in this place on this hollow ground. And we thank you for taking the time out to commemorate this sacred time with us today. Uh, today we will, um, have a few speakers. The entire congressional delegation is represented here. So you'll hear from Patrick Lane. He's office. I'm sorry. No, you won't. You won't hear from Patrick Lane. You'll hear from Senator Welsh's office. You'll hear from Senator Sanders office. You will also hear from representative balance office as well. We expect the mayor to arrive. So we will definitely hear from the mayor as well. I will. We are blessed to have Larry Salt here with this who will be providing us a couple of musical selections. You're gonna see some poppies floating around. And I want you to understand this. It raise your hands if you have poppies. Okay, raise your hands if you have poppies to provide for others. Raise your bucket. Get yourself a poppy. A lot of folks don't understand what that represents. But the as a story goes, this is I'm told is is that it was in Europe after the war after this after the world or World War Two where there were places where our fallen heroes were buried. And it was the only thing that would grow initially in the first thing. The first evidence of life from these cemeteries was that poppies. They began to come up and there's been a tradition has been established since then. So it's what we do. You'll see us here for Veterans Day. You'll also see us here for for Memorial Day Labor Day. So with that being said, the first thing that we're going to do is I'm going to ask you to join me for the National Anthem. Please join me for the National Anthem. The colors are there. Post 782 colors face. Present arms or dirt arms. I'm excited to have a game back with us with no surprise. The mayor of the city of Burlington, a friend of the veterans of foreign war post 782, a good friend of the of post 782. We can always expect him to be here. He's always been supportive. We've always had a great relationship in as the oldest post in Vermont. I think we're about 102 years old now. How many people knew that post 782 was the oldest post in Vermont? That's what we are and I'm proud to command it. Just moments ago I was installed for my second year as commander. That's right. You can clap for me. It's my it's my honor to serve. But it's also my honor to have a partner in somebody like Monroe Weinberger. Please welcome to the podium, Monroe Weinberger. Good morning, everyone. And thank you, Mark. Congratulations on your election for another year. And thank you for your service in this role as well as everything else that you do for this community. It's always an honor to be with all of you to honor our veterans. And we're so grateful for those of you, many of you here today and your colleagues who have served this community abroad in times of conflict and then come back and found new ways to contribute to this community. We have many members of the city team have served our veterans and some of them are here today. We're grateful for their service. This day, Memorial Day, our deepest gratitude, of course, is reserved for those service members who gave their lives to the country, who paid the ultimate sacrifice. And even on a beautiful day in this beautiful place that sacrifice is one we remember and we feel very, very closely. It's nothing abstract about it. We've lost many Vermonters over the last 20 years in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I know that many of you are here today have lost a loved one or a friend in Fallujah or Ramadi, Krakuk, Baghdad, Helmand, or Khorngal. And as Mark pointed out, in the long over a hundred year service of the BFW post-72, the Howard plant post, we've also veterans from this area have been lost in the Gulf War, the Vietnam, Korea and the World War. This year, there's another reason that that sacrifices is on our minds. And that is that this is the second time we are gathering amidst this brutal, unprovoked war of aggression that Russia is waging in Ukraine. And while America is not directly engaged in this war, it is clearly a case that the stability and the relative peace that we've enjoyed since the end of World War Two is very much dependent on Ukraine's success. Our thoughts and hopes today are with the brave people and soldiers of Ukraine as they prepare for the imminent and critical counter offensive. The Ukrainian conflict reminds us in our time that as much as we hate war and as much as we must always work for peace, there are moments too many moments in history where all that stands in the way of tyranny is the willingness of free people to take up arms and to fight it. And it's really fundamentally because of that that we must gather every year, again even on beautiful days in places like Burlington, to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and the way of life that we enjoy here. In our military service members, veterans and families, we see a model of courage, dedication and selflessness. And then we see a value that Burlingtonians hold dear. The value of neighborliness, of stepping forward to do what you can when you're called, not for yourself or for a few, but protect and strengthen our whole community and to provide safety and freedom for generations yet to come. So again, to all the veterans, especially those of you who have lost loved ones, we know and we honor your sacrifice. We're grateful for it. Thank you, Mayor Weinberger. I'm always happy to have you here and always good to see you again. We see each other under so many different circumstances. This is always different. So I really appreciate you being present with us today. I promised you that we were going to have remarks from Senator Sanders office and we're fortunate enough to have Air Hard Monkey with us today. Could you please join us at the point? We're really pleased to have you and we're also I just want to give a shout out to Bernie's office because if we don't have Bernie fans out here, I don't know who I don't know who you guys rooting for. Okay. He's been a big deal to not just, you know, this community but also in the lives of, you know, my family members. I know my past father, father-in-law, Mitchell Kemp spent a lot of time with Bernie and I've spent quite a bit of time with Bernie as well. And he's been good to the veterans of foreign war post seven 82 Howard plant. So give it up for Bernie, even though he's not here. Thank you, Mark. And thank you inviting me here today. Today's Memorial Day commemorating commemorating those who have fallen. I want to thank Commander Hughes and post agitator and quartermaster Michelle Caver for the work they do every day to support our area veterans. Thank you to everyone who helped organize today's ceremony to honor the service of the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We're deeply indebted to them and to the family and friends of the fallen. I know that your loved ones live in your hearts forever. And that words on one day each year are not enough to honor their service or to make up for their loss. Please know that as your senator, their lives, their service and sacrifice remain with me as I serve all of you in Washington for monitors have a long and proud history of military service having participated in every major conflict in US history. Memorial Day is a very special day of reflection and remembrance, one which we pay on which we pay tribute to those who died while serving on which we honor their loved ones and reflect on the past. This sound day is important reminder that we must dedicate ourselves to keeping our promise to those to those to these lost service members and to gold star families. And while Memorial Day is about honoring those who did not come home. We're also keenly aware of the important work of all those who are currently deployed and who have served our state and nation. I especially want to thank all the veterans and family members gather here today. And across from I we owe you a tremendous set of gratitude as well. Today, while we honor those who have passed, we must also commit ourselves to keep America's promise to you, just as you kept your promise to us. Over the past year, many soldiers of our own Vermont National Guard officially became veterans through their deployments, both in the United States and overseas. I'm deeply grateful for their service and sacrifice and for the sacrifices of their families who support them. To all those here today, know that my staff and I are here for you as a longtime member and former chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, I will continue to do my very best to make sure that all who have served and their families receive every benefit and service they have earned while serving our nation. I am honored to work for you every day to keep that promise. Sincerely, Bernard Sanders, United States Senator. That's what's so beautiful about being in Vermont. My 14th year here is is that everybody has at least two or three roles. So it's like you see somebody, you see him doing something else, you see him doing something else. So there are thank you so much for all that you do in this community that you have done in this community and continue to do even in the service at the pleasure of the senator, the senior senator. So thank you very much for showing up today. I know you could have been somewhere else, but you're here. Thank you so much for that. From the from the office of Peter Welsh, Senator Peter Welsh, we had expected to hear from Ryan McClare, but if he shows up before we done, then we'll just pull him in here. Okay. But until then, a good friend of mine, her name is Becca Ballet. She's not well today. I don't want to give too much of her personal information, but I just know she's not feeling well. And but we were so pleased and honored to have Thomas Wrenner here with us today. I remember many times and engaged in conversations with Becca and not always agreeing either. But she dug in and held her ground and but we were able to do things productive and so proud and so honored to have her representing us here in Vermont in Congress today. So, you know, definitely come on forward. Thomas, definitely she is going to be a rock star for us. And moving forward is no doubt in my military mind that she's going to continue to be a rock star for us. And we're so honored and pleased to have Thomas Wrenner here with us today. Thank you so much. Hi, everybody. Glad it's a beautiful day. Thank you to everyone at the VFW for planning this beautiful event for everything else that you do throughout the year. So I have some remarks. I have some remarks from the congresswoman. Today as we gather to commemorate Memorial Day, we honor and remember the brave Americans who have made it their ultimate sacrifice to protect our nation. Memorial Day is about paying tribute to the courage, dedication, and selflessness of those who have served while recommitting to a future that upholds the ideals that they fought for. America's fallen heroes fought for a nation striving for justice, where the rights and dignity of all are protected. They fought for a nation where every voice is heard and every vote counts. Let's honor their memory by continuing the fight for a more perfect union where no one is left behind. In honoring our fallen heroes, we should take the time to recognize the sacrifices of their families who are back home in Vermont, the mothers and fathers, spouses and children who carry the weight of their absence and support our troops from home. We owe it to them to uplift our veterans beyond Memorial Day, providing the care and resources they need and deserve. On this Memorial Day, I'm reminded of the principles that unite us Americans, the words like liberty and justice for all should be more than just a line in the Pledge of Allegiance, but a reality we consistently strive for. The memory of our fallen heroes by continuing their fight and working towards a better America for generations to come. I extend my deepest gratitude to the veterans of Vermont and across our nation. Your sacrifice and unwavering dedication to our shared values inspires us all. We will never forget the lives lost and the Vermont families forever changed. Sincerely, Congress President Biden, we will now go to a music selection by our own very salt, followed by some closing remarks. And also, please keep in mind that there is a luncheon at post 7.82, directly following this event. So there is a luncheon that everyone here is invited to attend at post 7.82, directly following this event. Mr. Larry Salt, thank you, Larry. Thank you as always. And we so much appreciate it when we have Larry understand by saying, hey, are you ready to go? So when we reach out to him, he's always prepared, always ready, and always present. My brothers and sisters, I think that it's so important today, as we reflect on the meaning and the significance of what this day represents, that what we're looking at and what we're talking about is fallen heroes. We're talking about people who gave the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their lives in the service of this nation. They gave it all. And there are some of us who are here who watched our brothers fall. There are some of us who are here who carry that with us today. And it is a thread that holds together the fabric of who we are as a nation. The fact that there has been a high price that has been paid to secure the liberties that we speak about every day, that we talk about every day, that we walk in every day as Americans, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty, injustice for all, fallen soldiers, fallen airmen, fallen Marines, fallen sailors, fallen Coast Guard, all giving the ultimate sacrifice for me and for you. That is what we're here to represent today. That is what we're here to commemorate today. This is not a celebration. This is a commemoration. This is a solemn moment. This is a serious time. Today, on the sacred memorial day, we gather together as a nation to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom. Now, as a minister and a devoted advocate for racial justice and an ardent abolitionist of slavery and a proud commander of this esteemed post, Howard Plant, veterans of phone war, 782, I stand before you with a heart burdened by the weight of history and a spirit ignited by the urgent call for justice and equality. Memorial day is a day of remembrance, a time to reflect on the selfless acts of valor and courage demonstrated by those who fought to protect the principles upon which this great nation was built. However, we've got to acknowledge the painful truth that our nation's history is stained with the horrors of slavery, a vile institution that denied the humanity and dignity of our fellow human beings. Today, we pay tribute to the fallen heroes, and as we do so, we've got to confront the stark reality that the fight for racial justice did not end with the abolition of slavery. It continues to be a long and arduous struggle against systemic racism, injustice, and inequality that persistently plague our society. The chains of oppression forged through centuries of discrimination and prejudice still bind our communities. They bind our communities of color, stifling hopes and dreams. As followers, according to my faith in Christ, we are called as agents of change. We must heed the prophetic call to dismantle the structures of injustice that work tirelessly towards building a society that recognizes the equal worth and dignity of every individual, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or their background. Let us remember the brave souls who fought against the evil of slavery, who risked everything to bring about a world where every person is free from the chains of bondage. The Civil War cost 620,000 lives for the cause of freedom, to free slaves. Their sacrifice should inspire us to carry the torch of justice forward. We must be relentless in our pursuit of racial equity, standing firmly against the systems that perpetuate discrimination and ensuring that the principles of liberty and justice, liberty and justice for all, that they're just not mere words, but they're lived, they're a lived reality for every citizen. Now as the commander of the Veterans of Foreign War, this post, 782, I've witnessed the power of unity and solidarity. We have fought side by side, bound together for a common purpose. Today, let us extend that unity beyond the boundaries of our organization, reaching out our hands to join with our other like-minded folks and individuals and groups who share our vision of a more just and equitable society. Together, we can address the systemic barriers that perpetuate racial disparities in education, in housing, employment, the criminal justice system. Let us advocate policies that uplift and empower marginalized communities, ensuring that every individual has access to quality education, affordable housing and fair employment opportunities. Let us confront the uncomfortable truths of our history, acknowledging the pain and suffering inflicted upon generations, generations of people of color and work towards healing and reconciliation. But let us not stop at policy changes alone. True transformation requires a change in hearts and minds. We must engage in these difficult conversations about race, confront our own biases, and commit to fostering a culture of empathy, understanding and inclusion. We must listen to the voices of the marginalized, amplifying their stories and experiences and actively working to dismantle the systems of privilege and oppression that perpetuate inequality. Look, my friends, the journey towards racial justice and equity is not an easy one. It requires courage, persistence and unwavering commitment. But we cannot afford to shy away from this responsibility. We must be the ones who challenge the status quo, who speak truth to power and who advocate for a society that affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Today, as we pay tribute to the fallen, let us recommit ourselves to the unfinished work that they have left behind. Let their sacrifice not be in vain. Let us honor their memory by working tirelessly to build a nation where every individual, regardless of their race or background, can flourish and thrive. May God grant us the strength to confront injustice, the wisdom to advocate for change and the love to embrace one another as brothers and sisters. May we strive towards a future where the color of our skin holds no bearing on our opportunities or our worth. And may God continue to bless this remarkable nation that we call home the United States of America. God bless you all and God bless the United States of America. That concludes our ceremony here with the exception of one other thing. We do have the closing, the closing of the ceremony. Please join me for taps. Mary. Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our Memorial Day commemoration. Please join us at post 7 82.