Shiner Chamber hosts annual Memorial Day commemoration

The Shiner Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Memorial Day commemoration at Green Dickson Park this past Monday. 
The event opened with a prayer by Mike Morkovsky and the National Anthem was sung by Faith Brown. Organizations of Shiner then presented the wreaths in honor of those who have fallen. 
Senator Michael Cloud gave a brief introduction before Master Sgt. Manuel A. “Manny” Cordova gave his keynote speech. 
“This Memorial Day, we gather with solemn hearts to remember the true price of the freedoms we hold dear,” Cloud said. “As a nation, we understand that the liberties we enjoy each day – the freedom to worship, the freedom of speech and the freedom to pursue happiness – they are not the product of government, but of eternal design bestowed upon us by God alone. 
We also know that these rights are not transferred to the next generation without courage, fortitude and sacrifice of many. They have been preserved throughout our history from generation to generation by our nation’s willingness to answer the call.”
Cordova then urged attendees to remember that the holiday is not a celebration, but a tribute to those who gave their lives in military service. Cordova enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2013 and trained at Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland. His speech spoke of sacrifice, freedom and the cost of war. 
“For so many today is simply a day off work,” Cordova said. “For so many in our country, today is a day to grill outside and ‘hang out,’ to take advantage of the latest Memorial Day sale, or simply a celebration of a holiday. But there is nothing celebratory about today.”
Cordova said Memorial Day is “a day of remembrance” for service members who “never got to experience another day in this world.”
He began his speech by reflecting on the meaning of sacrifice in everyday life, comparing common personal sacrifices to what he described as the “ultimate sacrifice” made by fallen military members. 
“We give up our favorite foods, we may say no to spending time with friends in order to focus on school, or we may pass opportunities to advance at work in order to spend more time with family,” Cordova said. “But there is one form of sacrifice which we have not experienced simply because of the fact that we are still here alive, and that is the loss of life.” 
Cordova asked the audience to consider the value of life itself. “Each and everyone here today can simply take a moment and wonder what it would be like to never experience life again, to give up everything,” Cordova said. 
“It does not take much to imagine this and quickly realize how difficult it must be, and also how grateful one can be for this gift of life.”
Memorial Day serves as a reminder that countless service members never returned home to their families according to Cordova. “Never got to give the last hug or the last kiss to whom they loved the most,” Cordova said. 
“Never got to tell mom and dad how much he or she loves them. Never got to see their sons of daughters again.”
He also warned against allowing the meaning of Memorial Day to fade with time and distance from war. “It seems that our country today has forgotten itself,” Cordova said. “Perhaps the longer we stand away from conflict, the less we think about the cost of life for the security of our nation.”
He referenced the conflicts from the Revolutionary War to World War II and the post- 9/11 era and connected the sacrifices of past wars to freedoms Americans experience today. 
“How men crossing the Hudson River 250 years ago helped shape our lives today,” Cordova said. “How an invasion into France 84 years ago helped bring freedom across the world.”
He concluded by urging attendees to honor fallen service members not only with remembrance, but through the way they live their lives and teach future generations. 
“How we live our lives, how we raise our children, what we teach them about our nation will always bring honor and make their sacrifice never feel as it was vain,” Cordova said. 
“I hope that today we can stay focused on why Memorial Day matters, why remembering and honoring the ultimate sacrifice of our service members keeps the American spirit alive.”
The event concluded with recognition of Veterans who were in attendance followed by the folding of the flag by the boy scouts. Taps was also performed at the end of the ceremony.