“Help us to continue in honoring the values veterans have bestowed upon our great nation: loyalty, respect, brotherhood, duty, service, honor and trust,” said Dennis Ziegler as he began the Memorial Day service at Jacob’s Church, Jacksonville, Lynn Township.

The Legion attempts to schedule their visits to the cemeteries for the times on Sunday when church is letting out and the congregation can attend the service.

On Monday, they visit one more church and participate in the program at Slatedale. After that, they travel to the Covered Bridge, along Trout Creek, and have a service honoring Navy service men and women.

A parade to Union Cemetery for a program and the placing of a wreath on the grave of Allen O. Delke, the Post’s namesake, follows these final stops on Monday’s visit.

Northern Lehigh ninth graders Scott Schaeffer and Jack Ligenza played “Taps.” They also played “Taps” as members of the funeral honor guard.

“Under the quiet sod or beneath the murmuring waves, their bodies sleep in peace,” Ziegler continued. “When we recall the things they did, the hero hosts seem mighty in our midst.”

There was a rifle salute with Gordon Giannotti as firing squad leader and “Taps” was played

At Ebenezer Church, New Tripoli, Trinity and Arianna Fratrik, Elsa Schulley, Ava Schulley, and Norah Smith received flags as they listened to the service.

“When peril threatened and their country called, with what divine self-sacrifice they left their paths of peace to spring to arms to make their breasts a barricade against the nation’s foes,” said Ziegler, chairman of the Memorial Day committee. “They fought for us, they fell for us. Now with one accord in deepest reverence we do them honor.”

As the Legion headed back to their cars, Pastor Kevin Fruchtl reminded his parishioners there were refreshments in Fellowship Hall.

At Heidelberg Church UCC Pastor Karen Yonney said the Sunday School students made cards to give to the veterans.

“On this Memorial Day let us pledge ourselves anew to patriotic service. Let us make ourselves the friend and brother, son and father, daughter and mother of those who will not see their own again in mortal flesh,” Ziegler said.

At Neffs Lutheran Church, the story was continued with Ziegler saying, “Let us not remember them in anguish, they would not wish our pity.”

At Slatington Presbyterian Church the service was held at ground level, due to the heat, instead of on the memorial hilltop where it is usually held.

Ziegler asked attendees to stand with bowed heads in solemn memory of the heroic dead.

Once again the bugle sound of “Taps” rang out: Day is done, gone the sun from the lake, from the hills from the sky; all is well, safely rest, God is nigh.