'A spark of hope'
<p>Diana Howell watches her son, Josh Howell, 7, listen to the tributes during a ceremony at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d'Alene. The Howells attended the ceremony and then visited the gravesite of Diana's great-great-grandfather, who was a Civil War and Spanish-American War veteran.</p>
<p>Michael Lenke plays taps on his bugle following a 21-gun salute at the end of the Memorial Day ceremony at Forest Cemetery.</p>
<p>Jim Shepperd tosses a wreath into the water of Lake Coeur d'Alene at the Third Street Docks in commemoration of military men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military.</p>
<p>Retired Navy Commander Marilyn Hunt placed a wreath in honor of disabled American veterans during ceremonies at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls. American Legion Post 143 conducted the Memorial Day services.</p>
<p>Nick Farina, 14, with the Young Marines of North Idaho, rings a bell as the names of veterans and active duty military service members who died over the past year are read at the Memorial Day service at Memorial Gardens in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - As William Taylor stepped to the podium at Veterans Park Monday morning, he paused, then brushed his gloved hand under his eyes.
He lifted his head and looked out at the estimated 150 men, women and children standing before him.
"Forgive me," said the Senior Vice Commander of VFW Post No. 889. "I'm touched by the number of people here."
On Memorial Day, with runners, bikers, people walking dogs and boaters passing by, Taylor led the short ceremony to honor those who fell while serving their country.
Some years, Taylor said he has seen as few as two members of the public at the event.
Monday's crowd was the largest since the mid-'90s.
"I think people are starting to recognize what this day is about," he said.
Veterans said they had seen less and less attention paid to them and the fallen on the holiday, as people turned to shopping, barbecues and movies.
But Monday, as Memorial Day ceremonies were held throughout North Idaho, there were larger-than-usual crowds.
Lt. Col. Carl Gidlund, who retired in 1998 after 33 years of duty, stood before the microphone at Veterans Park and said "there is a still a spark of hope," because you are here today.
"Your presence here is a living example of what we should all be doing on Memorial Day," he said.
Sue Sausser of Coeur d'Alene was glad to be there on a cool, windy morning.
"I always come," she said. "It seems like the thing to do."
Likewise, Kathy Russell of Coeur d'Alene said she and husband Greg, a Marine Corps veteran, come to the ceremony every year.
"I think it means a lot to the veterans for people to remember the fallen," she said.
A ceremony at Forest Cemetery also attracted a contingent of young and old, who stood and listened to the words of guest speaker, veteran and VFW Post 889 chaplain Al Holm.
He said every day, not just Memorial Day, is a chance to honor those who died serving their country.
"Our intent today is not to speak of the glory of battle or to pay homage to the heroes or icons, but rather to reflect on the person behind the deed and remember all of our fallen comrades for what they actually were: People just like us," he said.
They were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters. They were high school quarterbacks, honor roll students and dropouts. They were policemen, firefighters and blue collar workers. Rich and poor. Black and white.
They were different in many ways, yet unified in spirit, purpose and mission, he said. All were willing to die for their country, and many did.
"Regretfully," he continued, "the sacrifices and losses of our comrades are sometimes forgotten or disregarded. This we must not allow to happen."
Sheila Nelson of Coeur d'Alene planned to do her part to keep that memory alive.
She said she has relatives who died in World War I and World War II, so she always attends the event at Forest Cemetery.
"I think how grateful I am for the people buried here and the people that are standing here," Nelson said.
At Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens, guest speaker Vaughn Ward, Lt. Col.-USMC Reserve, told a story of helping his daughter learn to ride her bike at Riverstone park on Monday, and a woman said, "Happy Veterans Day."
When he corrected her and said it was Memorial Day, "she responded by saying, 'Whatever. Happy Memorial Day.'"
"It's not whatever," Ward said.
When people can't remember the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day, when they don't know or don't care why the country honors Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice to preserve freedom, "I believe our nation is doomed," he said.
"Where are our countrymen today? Why aren't they here?" he asked, as the crowd of about 300 people listened Monday afternoon under sunny, blue skies, the Avenue of Flags flapping in the wind. "I would like to bring more people here, to all the memorial services across this great nation. Because it is for that sacrifice that we continue this great nation."