Gold Star Families,

I have the esteemed privilege of inviting you to participate in our special Memorial Day ceremony, to be held this year at Maple Leaf Cemetery on Monday, May 27th at 10 am. Please check in at the greeter station to share the name of your gold star family member. We have VIP seating available near the stage reserved for you. If you have any questions, please let me know. Please share with all Gold Star families, mothers, spouses, and next of kin. My formal invitation is below:

Kelly Davidson, Chairman

Memorial Day 2019: A Service of Remembrance

1811 NE 16th Avenue

Oak Harbor, WA 98277

May 17, 2019

The National Gold Star Family Registry

PO Box 930073

Wixom, MI 48393

To whom it may concern:

It is with tremendous honor and respect that I pen this letter to you for distribution among to the Gold Star Families in our local community. I wish to express my gratitude for their service to our country and my reverence for their losses. I recognize the ‘waves of grief’ break upon us at different times; birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays can heighten anguish and bring to the forefront the reminders of loss. I want your families to know that they are not alone in their suffering. In a few short days, our country will recognize Memorial Day, a National Holiday specifically set aside for communities throughout our great nation to come together to pay respect and share the burden of grief with those families who have sacrificed their all in the line of duty.

As Chairman of Oak Harbor’s Memorial Day Service of Remembrance, I have the highest esteemed privilege of inviting your Gold Star Families to participate in our very special ceremony, to be held this year at Maple Leaf Cemetery on Monday, May 27th at 10 am. Our community will come together to pay our respects, reverently and somberly, with military units from Naval Air Station Whidbey joining with civilians and local Veteran Service Organizations. We will hear from guest speakers Lieutenant Commander Peter Hunt, USN RET. and Captain Matt Arny, Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey. Mayor Robert Severns will Emcee our event, and special musical presentations will be offered by the Oak Harbor High School Choir along with vocalist, Mrs. Valerie Rocha. Honors will be rendered by the Naval Air Station Whidbey Honor Guard, with a special presentation of Echo Taps, presented by Navy Band Northwest. Upon conclusion of our ceremony, a potluck luncheon will be held at the Whitehead-Muzzall VFW Post 7392 on Goldie Road, here in Oak Harbor.

It would be a privilege for our community to host your families as special Guests of Honor at our ceremony. If chosen by your families, the names of their Gold Star Veterans would be read aloud by Captain Matt Arny just prior to our Presentation of Honors and our Moment of Silence. Please check in at the greeter station to share the name of your gold star family member. While no one could possibly fully understand the ache of your loss, we hope to share at least a small portion of that day with you in solemn reverence to memorialize your beloveds, whom have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Very respectfully submitted,

Kelly Davidson

Memorial Day Chairman

Oak Harbor Lions Club Member