All invited to Memorial Day tribute to honor nation’s fallen heroes

The community and its visitors are invited to join together Monday, May 26, at the Kerr County Memorial Day Program to pay their respects to local and all U.S. Armed Forces veterans who gave their lives in service to our great nation.  Scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and last about an hour, the program will be staged in front of the granite war memorial on the grounds of the Kerr County Courthouse, 700 Main Street in Kerrville.

“Every year, this program offers a heartwarming experience as we show our gratitude for those American service members who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedoms,” said Kerr County Veterans Service Officer Jenna Sanchez, who organizes the event.  “This year, we have added some special things and we hope our attendance breaks even last year’s record.”

Serving as the keynote speaker this year will be Dalton Rice, who had a distinguished 13-year career in the U.S. Army.  Since 2023, Rice has been the city Manager for the City of Kerrville.  Before that, he began his military career as an infantryman, deploying to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.  Upon leaving active duty, Rice joined the Texas National Guard, serving with C Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group in San Antonio.  He later served with the Special Operations Detachment – Africa out of Austin, completing a six-month tour in Germany with Special Operations Command Africa, where he contributed to contingency response efforts throughout Africa, before being honorably discharged and pursuing a career as a paramedic, firefighter and healthcare administrator.

As the crowd gathers around the Kerr County War Memorial, which will be updated to reflect two new names of local citizens lost in service to this country, the ceremony will feature a few other highlights.  A key part of the ceremony will be the laying of the wreaths at the memorial by various local groups.  Any organization that wishes to participate need only make sure they have occasion-appropriate wreaths and a wire stand to prop it up.  Registration is conducted in the moments just prior to the ceremony’s start.

Last year, a new parking scheme was introduced.  A map of the traffic flow and event parking is available for viewing now on the Kerr County Veterans Service Office page on the county’s website:  www.kerrcountytx.gov.

Serving as master of ceremonies for this year’s program will be U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jeff Harris.  To view the complete program, visit the Kerr County VSO page on the county’s website at www.kerrcountytx.gov or scan the county’s QR code.

Limited seating will be available during the program.  Attendees are invited to bring their own chairs.  There will be a few tents for shade and a limited supply of bottled water will be provided, thanks to a donation by Hill Country Telephone Cooperative (HCTC).

Those who would like to contribute to the success of future programs are welcome to do so by making checks payable to Kerr County Veterans Service Office, denoting “Veteran Programs” in the memo line, and mailing them to VSO at 550 Earl Garrett Street, Suite 107, Kerrville, TX 78028.

For more information, contact VSO Jenna Sanchez or Chase Allsup at 830-792-2203 or Gary Noller, of the Kerr County Veterans Service Advisory Committee, at 830-377-8115.

In the event of inclement weather on event day, the observance will be moved indoors into the Happy State Bank Expo Hall at the Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 TX27 in Kerrville.

Memorial Day is a Federal holiday observed on the last Monday in May each year.  In existence since 1868, the special day honors all those members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have given their lives while in service to this country.