The City of Carmel will host the annual Memorial Day ceremony on May 24, the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, at the Veterans Memorial Plaza. Starting at 9 a.m., the ceremony will feature a flag raising by American Legion Post 155 and Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 10003. Additionally, Mayor Sue Finkam and a keynote speaker will be present. In the past, bands and choirs have also performed at the event.

To Shawn Curtis, who will be teaching U.S. government next year, the Carmel Memorial Day ceremony is more than appropriate for the holiday given the surrounding events of late May.

“It’s a way of remembering why we live, how we live and the freedoms we have. It’s a way of remembering those who took the ultimate sacrifice of public service for their government’s sake. It’s about remembering those who stood up against Nazism and fascism. It’s about those who served in times where we agreed with the war and when we didn’t agree with the war because they saw it as an act of duty. It’s a reminder of why we can live in a country which has had constancy of government since 1787,” Curtis said. “I think a lot of times Memorial Day gets lost in the shuffle of sales and car deals and barbecues, so it’s important to take time to remember.”

In addition, Curtis said Memorial Day sometimes gets overshadowed by other holidays and deserves its own special recognition. Curtis said Memorial Day and Veterans Day can get mixed up even though the two events have different meanings.

“Veterans Day has some memories in it, but it’s more about being thankful to the veterans, doing what you can for veterans and remembering the work that we still have to do for veterans, remembering their sacrifice but also remembering that we still owe them a lot and we need to continue to push for them,” Curtis said. “Veterans Day is more about thanking those who are here today, while Memorial Day is to take time and have memories of what we have had in the past. While on Veterans Day many businesses remain open and offer promotions to veterans, on Memorial Day many businesses are closed because the point is to go to cemeteries and such to reflect.”

Christopher Tichindelean, Carmel Mayor’s Youth Council (CMYC) member and junior, said a student-focused Memorial Day held in conjunction with the current ceremony could be feasible. According to the CMYC website, the CMYC is an organization which allows high school students to host events and competitions in order to involve their peers in the community. 

“CMYC is focused a lot on community involvement and engaging youth, so CMYC definitely could take a stance and try to get people involved,” Tichindelean said. “(Memorial Day) is not something we have thought about so far or considered. However, it would align with our mission in general and could become its own thing in the future.”

This story was edited due to a source’s personal request.