Moving ceremony atop Soldiers Hill

Photo by Sarah Gardner, Peoria Journal Star

Originally published on Nov. 8, 2015 in the Peoria Journal Star

Bouquets of red poppies hung in the hands of eight Midwest Central Young Marines standing at attention atop Soldiers Hill in Springdale Cemetery as Bruce Brown, in a measured and solemn voice, recited the lyrics of a beloved American folk song.

“Where have all the soldiers gone? They’ve gone to graveyards, every one,” he said, as local musicians Bogside Zukes played behind him at the Veterans Day event Sunday.

The song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” written by folk icon Pete Seeger, embodied the theme of this year’s event. Brown, a Vietnam veteran and former Peoria city councilman, said the song contains a core message that speaks to the circular nature of life and endless dedication of generations of American soldiers.

“We wanted the veterans, not only to thank them, to honor them, we wanted them to think and experience the circularity,” he said.

The annual event at the historic Springdale Cemetery drew dozens of area veterans and residents who spread the poppies among the graves of fallen service members. The red poppy, known as the “flower of remembrance,” became the symbol the VFW started using in 1922 to honor American soldiers who gave their lives while serving their country.

Clad in red blazers and black bow ties, the Peoria Barbershoppers performed a number of patriotic tunes including the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Cpl. Robert Degise and Brianna Varvil closed the event with a performance of taps. The two bugle players, separated in age by nearly 75 years, stood as yet another symbol of the perpetuity of life and service through the generations.

The Central Illinois Living Historians, representing Peoria’s 77th Illinois Infantry who served during the Civil War, presented the colors at the event. As they retired the flag, members of the American Legion raised their rifles and performed a booming salute that clattered among the wooded hills of Springdale Cemetery.

Local resident Monica Watson walked away with a new appreciation of the generations of military service and said she enjoyed seeing people of all ages turn out for the event.

“It’s a very special heritage and legacy that needs to be carried on,” she said.

Springdale Cemetery general manager Mark Matuszak said the “very touching and fitting” event would not have been possible without the help of numerous volunteers who prepared the site and participated in the ceremony.

“I think we hit a home run,” he said. “The whipped cream on top of it all — it was a beautiful, gorgeous, spectacular day.”

A sense of service still compels Alan Harkrader, a veteran of the Korean War, who volunteered his time by mowing the site and placing dozens of flags along the winding road that leads to Soldiers Hill.“

Being a veteran, I feel it’s my duty to honor these veterans that have served their country,” said Harkrader.

Brown said that while standing at the podium, he experienced a deep sense of solidarity with veterans who attended the event.

“That’s what we wanted to bring out today. That these veterans go home and say, ‘By God, there’s some other ones out there like me,’ ” he said. “That what I did wasn’t for nothing. It was for something.”