Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12190 of Evans paid homage to American service members, Monday, in its annual Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony.
A crowd of vets, mostly from the Evans VFW chapter and its auxiliary, alongside their families, gathered at Memorial Gardens Park, behind the Evans Library. Columbia County Board of Commissioners Chairman Doug Duncan delivered a keynote presentation praising those who serve and have served in the armed forces, based on the themes of sacrifice, patriotism and gratitude.
“Frankly, we must acknowledge that the freedoms we experience today are in large part from the sacrifice and patriotism that comes from our veterans and their families,” Duncan said. “So today, we’re going to continue to honor the legacy and uphold the values our veterans fought for, their families sacrificed for, and may God bless our veterans in the United States of America.”
After VFW members placed two wreaths before the Columbia County Memorial Wall, members of Boy Scout Troops 10 and 2, and Cub Pack 56 came up to decorate the wreaths with American flags.
Evans Post member Jason Tisdale notes that while many veterans have been well supported during their times in combat, those from the Vietnam War did not receive the same level of appreciation that their fellow servicemembers are more likely to enjoy today.
“We were a different place, and the culture was not supportive of what they were doing,” said Tisdale, who served in the Army from 2003 to 2023. “So this is a great opportunity to show our thanks to them for answering the call to service, and show them that they aren’t forgotten and that we do care for them.”
The ceremony is one of many annual events persistently coordinated by the Evans VFW chapter. Rainy weather prompted the chapter to move its Memorial Day ceremony to its post location on Triangle Industrial Drive, earlier this year, but Memorial Gardens Park remains its mainstay, says member Cynthia Stein.
“This is the space that honors our military, and if you keep moving it, people just won’t show up,” said Stein. “So our next one, I want double the crowd. We want to just keep it growing.”
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
