Flag Raising Ceremony Held to Complete Heroes Memorial

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Published on October 12 2016 5:23 pm
Last Updated on October 12 2016 5:23 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

(SISTERS ARNETIA OSBORN AND BONNIE MELLENDORF WERE THE RAMRODS IN GETTING THE EFFINGHAM COUNTY HEROES MEMORIAL BUILT)

A flag raising ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon to mark completion of the Effingham County Heroes Memorial.

The memorial was dedicated last year in a ceremony on the lawn of the Historic Courthouse Museum. One thing lacking was flags, and the flagpoles on which to fly them.

As they did to get the memorial built, Bonnie Mellendorf and her sister Arnetia Osborn contacted County officials and private donors and came up with the space and the materials needed to get the flagpoles in place and someone to maintain the poles to make sure the flags stayed looking good and properly displayed and retired.

City Administrator Jim Arndt served as Master of Ceremonies for the event, Pastor Roger Marshall of First Baptist Church of Effingham offered the invocation, and Mayor Jeff Bloemker and County Board Chairman Jim Niemann offered remarks.

The MABAS Division 54 Honor Guard raised the colors, our own Greg Sapp led in the National Anthem, and Arndt led in the Pledge of Allegiance.