Today is the national Veterans Day holiday even though the official day was Sunday.
In Elkhart Sunday, Veterans Day was celebrated with the sound of Taps echoing throughout the city – over 65 times in succession.
It was all part of a memorial service that involved a lot of musicians from around the area. Each played Taps, and as they completed it, the melody was picked up by another musician about 100 feet away.
In years past, it was spread out over a five-mile area. But because Veterans day fell on a Sunday this year, it took place in the confines of Rice Cemetery.
“We still stayed with the original plan of having all the musicians within the boundaries around the perimeter of the cemetery and wind themselves to the Veterans Memorial flag pole,” said organizer Brian Thomas.
“I really enjoy playing,” said Granger musician Randy Ferrie. “I know a lot of guys that are veterans and anything I can do to give a little bit, I do.”
All who took part in the event said it was an honor for them to be there whether it involved a sense of patriotism, community or patriotic music, or a combination of all three.
“Patriotism certainly – an honor for the people that have come before me that have fought, some that have died,” said Elkhart musician Jim Shackle.
“All of us love music, and quite a few of us have been doing it since the first year it started, three or four years ago, our freshman year, and it’s a lot of fun,” Elkhart Central High School senior Naomi Johnston added.
“It makes you think about what’s going on, what Veterans day really is,” said Lloyd Fillio of Elkhart.
