ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The City of Robertsdale had its annual Memorial Day observance Monday, May 29. Because of the threat of severe weather, the ceremony was moved from Gordon Coley Park to the Robertsdale City Hall.

The program began presentation of colors and the pledge of allegiance, led by members of the Robertsdale High School Naval Jr. ROTC, and the playing of Taps by Susie Vivar, music education instructor at Robertsdale Elementary School.

Guest speaker for the event was Collins Wynn, retired lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Army airborne infantry and retired corrections commander with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.

“I stand before you today as a representative of all those husbands, wives, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and countless others of the United States military who have fallen defending our freedom,” Wynn said.

He went on to present several quotes, both from notable personalities and from GIs “who are proudly known as ‘grunts,’ centered around the theme, “Was it worth it?’

“This is a question, sometimes politically-loaded, that is often asked of family members and war buddies of our fallen heroes,” he said.

Wynn went on to offer quotes from Gen. John Kelly, whose son, 1st Lt. Robert Kelly, died while serving in Afghanistan in 2010; writer George Orwell, Army Pvt. 1st Class Diego Rincon in a letter to his mother written shortly before his death; and Lydia Bixby, a Boston widow who was believed to have lost five sons in military service during the Civil War. A letter to Mrs. Bixby from President Abraham Lincoln was read in the film Saving Private Ryan.

“AS a people, we will always be proud of the selfless service of Robert Kelly, Diego Rincon, the Bixby boys and the more than 1 million men and women who, since our nation’s founding, have made the supreme sacrifice for the United States of America,” Wynn said. … “’Was it worth it?’ is not a question for us to answer. Instead, we should commit ourselves to ‘Make it worth it.’”

Wynn concluded his speech with recognition of several Central Baldwin service men who have lost their lives in the service of freedom.

Following Wynn’s speech, Bibles were presented to 14 veterans and active service members, including three active service members, including John Matthew Loeffler, who received a Bible from his father-in-law, Mayor Pro-Tem Joe Kitchens.

Family members of active service members Austin Matthew Schulze and Eric D. Raven received the Bibles on their behalf.

Others receiving Bibles were Wayne Gwaltney, Todd Cason, Cody Robertson, Jerry W. Stivener, John Burgess, Timothy E. Brown, Jonathan N. Brown, John Ralph Norgard, the guest speaker and the Rev. Sean Peters from the Robertsdale United Methodist Church, who presented the closing prayer.

Receiving Bibles, but not present, were Jim Duff, Terry L. Waters and Blake Harrison.