“But now, every time I drive past the
Girard monument and see David’s banner,
I fill up again with pride for the sacrifice he
made.” She shares how friends and neighbors
came together to help the family grieve. “He
was so well-loved,” she says. “What an honor
it is to have his banner displayed here with
other men who also gave their lives.”
The Memorial Day service, held each
May in the Girard cemetery, continues to
be a solemn and poignant commemoration
for our heroes, living and dead, because of
Edder’s involvement with the organization.
Special music and esteemed guest speakers
address the crowd gathered to honor those
who have served our country. The military
honors follow with the firing of a threeround volley, the playing of “Taps” and the
folding and presenting of the colors.
Last year’s speaker was U.S. Marine Corps
veteran Sergeant Major Dustin Sargo, who
was awarded the Purple Heart in 2010 for
valor in Vietnam. He is also Dan and Bonnie
Edder’s daughter Leanna’s fiancé, a fitting
match for a family so devoted to military
ideals. The ceremonial folded flag was
presented to Denny Bensur, past commander
of the Girard American Legion Post 494.
Following the ceremony, the community
is invited to gather for lunch at the Girard
American Legion to share stories.
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Edder says the community involvement
and enthusiasm for honoring our vets and
establishing patriotic displays has been
overwhelming. Shortly after he initiated the
Honor Project, which placed two American flags
and a Veterans Memorial in Girard Cemetery
and St. John’s Cemetery in 2010, vandals
desecrated the flagpole by tearing it down and
stomping on it. Restoration would cost $16,000.
“I organized a kickoff in the community and
told folks we needed $16,000 in a month,” says
Edder. “We raised $32,000 in three weeks.”
Edder’s passion for honoring the service and
sacrifice of so many vets has left an indelible
mark on a community that loves and respects
its heroes. High-flying patriotic banners lining
Main Street in Girard bear witness to the pride
of a hometown that holds its defenders close to
the heart.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR
NATIONAL TRIBUTES TO VETERANS
www.hometowndefenders.com
www.veterantributes.org
www.legion.org/stories/honor-guard/tributeour-vet
www.pbs.org/national-salute-to-veterans
www.youtube.com/watch
All photos courtesy of Nancy Schaaf except the
Billings family picture which is courtesy of Bonnie
Edder. ■