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| Locals remember the dead |
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| Written by John Saiz / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 28 May 2008 | |
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“The youth; we do it for them. If someone doesn't teach them to be reverent, who will?" — Scoutmaster Bryan Bingham
Dozens of people gathered at Patterson District Cemetery on Monday to remember U.S. soldiers who died while fighting for their country. Local youth groups presented the Stars and Stripes during the 20-minute Memorial Day ceremony as members from Patterson’s American Legion sat in the shade. The U.S. flag hung at half-mast as two Boy Scouts played taps.  Davis Freitas (left) and Matthew Long from Boy Scout Troops 81 and 533, respectively, played taps during Monday's ceremonies. Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator “The youth; we do it for them,” said Scoutmaster Bryan Bingham. “If someone doesn’t teach them to be reverent, who will?” The youth played a large role in a ceremony that honors the dead. Local Cub Scout packs 79 and 81 joined the Patterson Girl Scouts, Boy Scout Troop 533 and Vernalis 4-H in the day’s ceremonies. But it was Patterson Boy Scout Troop 81 that provided the bulk of the ceremony’s labor, as they have done for nearly 25 years. The troop was responsible for setting up the more than 100 large flags that flew throughout the cemetery. “Every flag is from a veteran,” Bingham said. This year, the flags gently swayed in a slight breeze that accompanied a warm sunny morning and clear blue skies. The annual “Avenue of Flags” that the Boy Scouts now man has existed for close to half a century, said former Troop 81 Scoutmaster Ron Swift.  Darrell and 13-week old son Miles Triano reverently visited various gravesites of those who have served in the military after Memorial Day services Monday. Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator Patterson’s American Legion started the tradition, he said. Swift made special mention of Dan and Isabelle Rezendes, who worked on the event for many years. This is the first time neither attended, as Isabelle died earlier in December, and Dan died years ago. Members of the family were still on hand, and a flag was donated in their honor. Swift estimates it takes about 125 man-hours to prepare the cemetery for the memorial and to clean up afterwards. Along with the Avenue of Flags, the Boy Scouts planted nearly 400 crosses and small flags on the graves of soldiers. The Boy Scouts and local downtown businesses made sure the cemetery wasn’t the only place adorned with the U.S. flag this Memorial Day. As part of a fundraiser, Troop 81 set up flags in front of local businesses that provided a donation. During the brief ceremony at the cemetery, several speakers commented on the sacrifices soldiers make. Stanislaus County Supervisor Jim DeMartini spoke about the United States’ enemies past and present, ranging from the British during the Revolutionary War to the “Islamic terrorists” of today. Following the ceremony, the crowd dispersed quickly, but the Scouts returned close to six hours later. They were there to take down the flags and honor those that died defending them.
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