05/25/2026
“THE RIBBONS THAT NEVER CAME DOWN”
A Memorial Day Message of Remembrance, Sacrifice & Honor
As we approach Memorial Day, a day rooted in reverence, remembrance, and gratitude, we pause to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States of America. Originally known as “Decoration Day,” this observance began in the years following the Civil War as families and communities gathered to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, flags, and prayers — ensuring their sacrifice would never be forgotten.
In 1973, the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” by became a symbol of hope, homecoming, and remembrance. Across America, yellow ribbons were tied around trees, front porches, and mailboxes as families waited for loved ones to return home. But for some families, those ribbons became something far more sacred — a quiet symbol of love, sacrifice, and loss. The families of our fallen heroes never truly removed their ribbons, because the ones they waited for never came home.
That enduring sacrifice is carried today by our Gold Star families. Their strength reminds us that Memorial Day is not simply the beginning of summer, but a solemn promise that the lives given for our freedom will never be forgotten. Behind every name etched into stone is a mother, father, spouse, child, sibling, or friend whose life was forever changed by that sacrifice.
There is a saying: “You die twice: first when you stop breathing, and second when somebody says your name for the last time.” This Memorial Day, I challenge every resident of Cayuga County to walk through a cemetery, stop at the graves of our veterans, and read their names aloud. Speak their names so their legacy lives on. Take a child or grandchild with you. Teach them that freedom is not free, and that every flag placed beside a gravestone represents a life given in service to something greater than oneself.
Cayuga County holds a unique and proud place in our nation’s history. One of Auburn’s most distinguished sons, served as a trusted advisor to President Lincon during the Civil War. Seward’s leadership and vision helped guide our nation through one of its darkest chapters and helped shape the spirit of national remembrance that would become Memorial Day.
Just down the road, it is officially recognized as the birthplace of Memorial Day. In 1866, its citizens organized one of the earliest community-wide tributes honoring fallen veterans. That tradition spread across the nation, and in 1971 Congress formally recognized Waterloo for its role in establishing this sacred American observance.
As we gather this Memorial Day, may we honor our fallen heroes not only with ceremonies and flags, but by living lives worthy of their sacrifice. Let us remember the families who carried the burden of loss long after the battlefields fell silent. And let us ensure that the names, stories, and sacrifices of America’s heroes continue to live on in our homes, our communities, and our hearts.
God Bless Our Fallen Heroes,
God Bless Our Gold Star Families,
And God Bless the United States of America.
Happy Memorial Day,
Nate VeVone
Cayuga County Republican Chairman
