By NICK BUDD
Hays Post

The Hays American Legion Post 173 hosted its annual Memorial Day ceremonies Monday where veterans and their fallen comrades were honored.

Ceremonies included a flag-folding ceremony, a tribute to fallen veterans of each war and  a speech by veteran and Ellis Police Chief Taft Yates. Yates reminded to crowd to always remember the meaning of Memorial Day.

“It seems as though we’re getting away from what this day is all about,” he said. “It’s easy when Iraq was first going strong and then when it died down and now Afghanistan is now dying down. Our number of supporter’s seem to be dwindling. We forget, and it’s too easy to forget.

“And every time we forget, we pay with hard-earned lessons that we have already been taught.”

He urged those in attendance to help teach those lessons to the younger generation.

“It’s our duty and our responsibility to pass this tradition down to the next generation,” Yates said, “because when we get even more up in age then what we are, they’re the ones that are going to protect our freedoms.”

The ceremony at the American Legion ended with a 21-gun salute and a playing of taps.

Memorial Day ceremonies from Hays and WaKeeney will be rebroadcast in their entirety this week on Hays Post and Eagle Community Television Channel 14. Check back for a schedule.