May 29, 2023 – At the Clovis Veterans Memorial District, Memorial Day is perhaps the largest and most important day of the year, and the CVMD’s Patriotic Concert and Memorial Day Luncheon specifically stand out on that day.
Of course, these events in addition to the Veteran Documentaries and the Live Band and Outdoor Activities that the CVMD hosts are all done with the respect and remembrance of those United States military men and women who died serving the country.
The mission of the Clovis Veterans Memorial District is to provide a permanent living memorial honoring U.S. Military and Veterans.
In doing so, they provide facilities and support programs to promote a legacy of service and “preserve the community’s and country’s foundational ideals.”
The Liberty Ballroom, a hotspot for gatherings of Clovis residents, was filled to standing room capacity, as the CVMD Patriotic Concert was set to begin.
Through the length of an hour, the Clovis Community Band played military hymns such as “Midway March”, “American Flourish”, and “American Exultant”.
Before this performance however, Chairman of the CVMD Board, Tom Wright, gave some opening remarks.
“Enjoy this program, enjoy the fellowship of the people around you,” said Wright, “Enjoy this program and we’ll see you at the luncheon.”
The luncheon that Wright mentioned was the Memorial Day Luncheon, a time that CVMD CEO Lorenzo Rios mentions is his favorite part of the Memorial Day festivities. “It’s a time where we break bread and strangers sit down and friends walk away.”
In addition to the annual band concert and the luncheon, documentaries were played inside the Memorial District’s auditorium.
Documentaries played throughout the entirety of the day included titles such as Carry the Load: Memorial Day, and Why We Fight: Prelude to War.
Outside of the Memorial District, signs leading spectators to their Heritage Center were placed in broadview, attempting to get more citizens to visit the Clovis Veterans Memorial District’s Heritage Center on the corner of Veterans Parkway and Third ave.
Booths from different Veterans societies and the live band including performances from John Pemberton filled the rest of the time as onlookers had multiple options to visit while in remembrance of the day.
As the Memorial District once again mentions, it is a tradition to “honor our veterans and remember those who died in defense of our nation to protect our way of life”.