A sizable crowd gathered Monday morning in Faribault’s Central Park for the annual Memorial Day program.
FOR ME, PHOTOGRAPHING any place or event is about the details as much as the whole. Details are like words, which when strung together, create sentences and then a story.
Details are as precise as the properly placed gloved hands of a veteran.
On Memorial Day at Faribault’s Central Park, details were written into the annual post parade ceremony honoring our veterans and war dead.
The honor guard.
Veterans dressed in pressed uniforms, formal in attire. Crisp. Snap. Salute. Precision marked their movements. Such formality evokes evidence of honor, most suitable for this occasion.
A veteran plays taps at the conclusion of the program.
Taps mourned and guns fired. Flags rippled. Protocol held utmost importance.
A patriotic cap hangs from a bicycle.
Dressed appropriately for Memorial Day.
And in the audience I observed a dress code of patriotic reverence for this day. Red, white and blue prevailed.
I noticed even the flag on the back of this man’s cap.
A child waves a flag.
Nestled on his grandpa’s lap, this young boy holds an American flag.
American flags, too, were noticeable.
Wreaths placed on and below the cross represent the wars in which the U.S. has been involved.
On occasions like this, I feel a deep sense of pride that my community cares enough about those who have served to present, participate in and attend a Memorial Day program in the park.
Veterans walk through the crowd after advancing the colors.
We care about this great nation of ours, about our freedom, about our family members and others who have served in the U.S. military.
A member of the honor guard.
I noticed a poppy pinned to a veteran’s uniform.
Veterans wait.
I am grateful to live in this country, grateful to gather in a city park, grateful to have the uncensored freedom to photograph the details, to document this event in images and words.
© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Very beautifully written – thank you for honoring our veterans and the day set aside to remember those who have fallen.
You are welcome, dear sister-in-law.
I sensed the same here but the crisp “at attention” has disappeared some time ago for those who donned their uniforms, thoroughly impregnated with more memories than the wearer could even recollect much less give voice to. Yes, red, white and blue was the “official” dress code that day………a welcome relief from all the media wrangling we’ve been forced to witness!!!!!
Beautiful pictures. Happy Belated Memorial Day
Thank you. I hope you also had a wonderful Memorial Day.
I tend to agree with treadlemusic: Gone are the days of “crisp” at attention. Memories? These men are walking history “books” of their recollections of their service if one were to inquire. One of your other posts noted a dog who had stuck his head out the window of a pickup truck. While I did note this, what struck and immediately drew my eye was the 1st MarDiv sticker in the lower left corner of the window. I wish to express my thanks to all veterans and to Thank Audrey for her work drawing attention to them.
Thank you, Gunny. And thank you, veterans.