Geneseo, Illinois is quite small… just over 6,000 people live here. But, each year, this small town makes a big city effort to mark Veteran’s Day and to honor our local veterans. Just after dawn, volunteers put out nearly 650 flags in the city park. Each flag is in memory of a local veteran. This year there are seven new flags. For the last several years, bad weather has prevented a full display of these honored flags. This year all the flags were put on display.
When their task is done, there is hot coffee and pastries waiting for the volunteers at the nearby VFW post. The ladies of the Geneseo Women’s Club are up before dawn to make sure the treats are ready.
As the flags quietly mark the day, ceremonies are held inside the VFW post. Prayers are said, there is a guest speaker and a light lunch. Outside the post, saluting gunfire comes from uniformed vets.
By late afternoon the flags are taken down, rolled up and put in special cases to be stored away. With the luck of more good weather, the flags will re-appear on Memorial Day.
