WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - People from across the community came together at the Wichita County Cemetery for the annual Memorial Day ceremony, also known as Decoration Day.

The Wichita Falls community stood united in remembrance, honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to the country.

“We do get a good turnout, and it shows that the community does care. You can go barbecue, you can go to the lake, outstanding, have fun. It’s a good weekend, but you have to take time to stop and remember,“ Green Knight Military Motorcycle Club Chapter 54 President Richard Chamberlain said.

Today was a time for reflection, gratitude and tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

For many, Memorial Day brings difficult emotions, but it’s also a celebration as an opportunity to honor those who gave everything so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today.

“Colonel Barlow had a wonderful talk, you know, talking about how, you know, today is, it may be a holiday, but it is a day to remember the folks who gave it all, who gave up the opportunity to raise their families, to have families, so that we all got that. And, you know, they say that not only will they not be forgotten, but like how she said, that they will always be remembered,“ Wichita Falls Mayor Tim Short said.

Although the ceremony lasted only about 30 minutes, Green Knight Military Motorcycle Club Chapter 54 Sergeant-At-Arms Larry Anderson said the message lasts forever.

“The message is, regardless of what’s going on today, regardless of who’s yelling at who in the political arena or the social arena, this is the greatest country ever, and it’s still worth fighting for, and that being the case, it is still very much worth remembering those who have fought for our country,“ Anderson said.