DOWAGIAC — A colorful string of floats, horses, vehicles and city officials paraded down Front Street Monday morning. While the spectacle may have been a joyful one, the reason for it was serious: to remember the men and women who had given their lives in service to
the country.

The city of Dowagiac and the Masonic Lodge hosted its annual Memorial Day ceremony and parade Monday. The parade featured many floats and guests including the Dowagiac Union Schools band, the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant, the Dowagiac Police Department and more.

According to VFW Post 1855 Commander Bill Bobik, the theme of this year’s celebration was “remember the reason” to remind attendants of the commemoration that Memorial Day serves to honor fallen service members.

“The men and women who have given their lives to this country are heroes because when their country called, they answered,” Bobik said. “We are here today to honor our heroes, remember their achievements, their courage and their dedication, and to say ‘thank you’ for their sacrifice.”

The ceremony featured guest speaker Kevin Conklin, judge advocate for the state of Michigan Veterans of Foreign Wars. Conklin agreed with Bobik and said that Memorial Day was not like any other holiday because it serves the specific purpose of celebrating veterans who died in the line duty.

“All across the country today, we come together to remember those lost in the clash of battle,” Conklin said. “This Memorial Day, we come together to appreciate the freedom we enjoy today as we honor the sacrifices [veterans] paid for it. As we continue to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, we must continue to remind America that there is no freedom without bravery. Those we honor today were brave when it counted the most. We can take great pride in these heroes.”