Council Corner

Wreaths Ceremony Brought Beautiful Tribute to Our Veterans

By Council Member Ernest Burgess

As a City Council, we were truly honored to be able to participate for the rst time in the national Wreaths Across America Day this past month. We were touched by the moving tribute to our veterans, both in ceremonies at City Hall and then at the Taylorsville City Cemetery where 255 wreaths were laid at each of their graves.

Ninzel Rasmuson, founder and executive director of the Utah nonpro t Honor365, which was instrumental in helping the city and our Youth Council coordinate this event on Dec. 17, encapsulated my own feelings so well. She noted, “The history of our nation and those who serve can be summed up in a short and simple, yet tting phrase: They are ordinary people who by virtue of their service and sacri ce are extraordinary.”

We are grateful to Rasmuson and her organization, as well as the national nonprofit Wreaths Across America, the Taylorsville High School JROTC, our own Youth Council and Taylorsville police officers, re ghters and cemetery sta for making this day one we will always remember. Rasmuson was among those speaking at the City Hall portion of the ceremony. With her permission, I wanted to share a poem she included in her speech:

The Dash Poem, by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on the tombstone

From the beginning...to the end He noted that rst came the date of birth And spoke the following date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time That they spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved them Know what that little line is worth

For it matters not, how much we own, The cars...the house...the cash. What matters is how we live and love And how we spend our dash.

If we could just slow down enough To consider what's true and real And always try to understand The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger And show appreciation more And love the people in our lives Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect And more often wear a smile, Remembering this special dash Might only last a little while

So, when your eulogy is being read With your life's actions to rehash... Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent YOUR dash?

“It is our responsibility as citizens to remember the nation's brave fallen men and women — whether they died on foreign lands in the heat of battle or after a lifetime in the uniform for our Armed Forces,” Rasmuson said. “Never forget the men and women who know all too much the cost of our freedom, for their service to this country is the greatest gift of all.”

I couldn’t agree more with this sentiment that I will carry with me throughout this new year. From all of us on the City Council, may 2023 bring you love and laughter, peace and friendship. Happy New Year!

LEFT TO RIGHT: Bob Knudsen (District 5), Curt Cochran (District 2), Anna Barbieri, Chair (District 3), Meredith Harker, Vice Chair (District 4) and Ernest Burgess (District 1)

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The Taylorsville Youth Council chose the Wreaths Across America initiative as its holiday service project this year, and it set a goal to gather sponsorship from the community of 255 wreaths — enough to lay on each veteran’s grave at the Taylorsville City Cemetery. The youth ended up well surpassing that goal, ultimately securing sponsorship of 440 wreaths in Taylorsville City’s rst year participating in the program. The extras will be carried over to December 2023, meaning only 70 wreaths will need to be sponsored to lay at each veteran's grave next year, too.

“We were so honored to participate and thank all those who sponsored a remembrance wreath,” said Mayor Kristie Overson. “Through their generosity, we surpassed our goal and were able to place wreaths for every veteran as we had hoped. The ceremony, including the laying of the wreaths and saying each veteran’s name, was meaningful and moving and most de nitely the highlight of the holidays.”

The remembrance wreaths are hand-crafted of all-American balsam and hand-tied with a red velvet bow in Columbia Falls, Maine, and then sent to participating locations. The wreaths arrived at the Taylorsville City Cemetery by semi-truck a few days before the ceremony.