*From the Orange County Government
County Executive Neuhaus urges residents to pay tribute to fallen soldiers as Memorial Day approaches
Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus asks County residents to remember that honoring those who have died serving our country is the reason we celebrate Memorial Day weekend.
“The Memorial Day holiday is an opportunity to remember the men and woman who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the freedoms we all enjoy each and every day in America and here in Orange County,” Neuhaus said. “As Memorial Day approaches, I ask that you take time with your family and friends to remember the sacrifices of the fallen. I also invite residents to attend one of the many Memorial Day parades and ceremonies throughout Orange County.”
Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died serving our country. A ceremony on May 5, 1866 honored local veterans in Waterloo who had fought in the Civil War. In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo the “birthplace” of Memorial Day. According to the Orange County Department of Veteran Services, 832 Orange County residents have died serving our country in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the post-911 conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Neuhaus added: “We should never take the sacrifices of these brave men and women for granted.”