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Arkansas hosts socially-distanced Memorial Day ceremony

05/25/2020
ABC 7

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — While many Memorial Day services around the country were canceled due to coronavirus, Arkansas didn't skip the holiday. Instead, Governor Hutchinson led a small, socially distanced ceremony. He began by saying, “We are gathering today in a difficult and confusing time in world history.”

Unlike years past, this ceremony, held at the Arkansas State Veteran's Cemetery, was closed to the public due to social distancing guidelines. But the message remained the same.

“It is important that we gather today to honor their sacrifice to our country because, without their sacrifice, our country would be totally different today," Hutchinson said.

Those in attendance included gold star families and members from each branch of the military—who were seated six feet apart.

"It was a beautiful ceremony," said congressman French Hill. "It shows that we can comply with CDC standards and perform our tasks that we need to do to recognize those who deserve recognition.”

The governor did address the pandemic with a message of hope.

“Let me assure you today that we will win this fight as well," Hutchinson said. "I am more confident than ever because of the ingenuity and hard work of our medical professionals and because the American spirit which replaces fear with action, common sense, and compassion.”

This year, there was not a state-sponsored ceremony to place flags on veteran's tombstones prior to memorial day, but small groups of people devoted their time to make sure the graves were honored.