SUNBURY, Pa. — For a short time, Market Street in Sunbury was closed to traffic as the city's Memorial Day parade came through. The Shikellamy High School marching band led the way as scouts, and emergency responders waved.
After the parade, people gathered at nearby Cameron Park for Sunbury's Memorial Day ceremony. Retired Air Force Veteran Jody Ocker spoke to the crowd.
"I thought that today was very important to say what I had experienced in this context of what is sacrificed when our nation goes to war," said Jody Ocker, U.S. Air Force Veteran.
Ocker served 28 years in the military and spoke about the importance of freedom.
"If you don't pay attention to the stories, you lose sight of what it truly means, and you need to keep that meaningfulness in your heart to understand what your nation is doing and to be active in participating in the decisions that your nation makes," said Ocker.
People we spoke with stressed just how important it is to attend local events like this.
"I think it's very important that we support our veterans that are here now and in the past. I wish more people would come out here to do this with us," said Lori Fazzini, Sunbury.
Quite a few veterans attended the event. Allen Bubb lives in Sunbury. He is an army veteran who served in Korea.
"It's a hometown celebration. It might be small, but the meaning is there," said Bubb.
The event organizers hope people walk away with a greater appreciation for the sacrifices made for our freedoms.
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