Orange County honors fallen at Memorial Day ceremony; mayor reads proclamation
May 25, 2026 | Orange County, Florida
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Sergeant Fred Robinson, chair of the Orange County Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Council, opened the county’s Memorial Day ceremony with a welcome and recognition of Gold Star families, first responders and veterans.
“On this Memorial Day, we pay respect and honor to all service members that have made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our freedoms,” Robinson said as he introduced the program at the War Memorial adjacent to the Orange County Courthouse.
The program included a presentation of colors by the Wekiva High School Air Force Junior ROTC and a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the national anthem. Alnita Witt, introduced in the program as a veteran service officer, offered the invocation.
Michael Adams, chair of the Orlando Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Council and a Marine Corps veteran, told the audience that remembrance should lead to action. “Maybe gratitude is not something we simply say. Maybe gratitude is something we show through our actions,” Adams said, urging listeners to support veterans’ organizations, hire veterans where possible and to observe a moment of silence at 3 p.m.
Mayor Jerry L. Demings then addressed the crowd and read the text of a proclamation declaring Monday, May 25, 2026, a day of tribute to the nation’s fallen. In the proclamation he cited federal guidance establishing Memorial Day observance and called on residents to honor the day with appropriate ceremonies.
Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Timothy M. Hill delivered the keynote address, recounting service experiences and shipboard losses and framing Memorial Day as a personal and communal obligation. “Freedom was never free,” Hill said, urging attendees to remember the cost of service and to pass that history on to future generations.
The ceremony concluded with a wreath presentation at the War Memorial to be carried by retired Maj. Lorraine Holland and retired Staff Sgt. Norris Henderson, a ceremonial flag folding with an explanation of the symbolic 13 folds and the playing of Taps. Organizers directed attendees to proceed outside to American Legion Post 331 for the wreath-laying and final observances.
The program named several Gold Star family members and local officials in attendance, and organizers invited any other Gold Star families present to identify themselves for recognition. The county asked residents to observe Memorial Day activities and encouraged ongoing support for veterans throughout the year.
“On this Memorial Day, we pay respect and honor to all service members that have made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our freedoms,” Robinson said as he introduced the program at the War Memorial adjacent to the Orange County Courthouse.
The program included a presentation of colors by the Wekiva High School Air Force Junior ROTC and a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the national anthem. Alnita Witt, introduced in the program as a veteran service officer, offered the invocation.
Michael Adams, chair of the Orlando Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Council and a Marine Corps veteran, told the audience that remembrance should lead to action. “Maybe gratitude is not something we simply say. Maybe gratitude is something we show through our actions,” Adams said, urging listeners to support veterans’ organizations, hire veterans where possible and to observe a moment of silence at 3 p.m.
Mayor Jerry L. Demings then addressed the crowd and read the text of a proclamation declaring Monday, May 25, 2026, a day of tribute to the nation’s fallen. In the proclamation he cited federal guidance establishing Memorial Day observance and called on residents to honor the day with appropriate ceremonies.
Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Timothy M. Hill delivered the keynote address, recounting service experiences and shipboard losses and framing Memorial Day as a personal and communal obligation. “Freedom was never free,” Hill said, urging attendees to remember the cost of service and to pass that history on to future generations.
The ceremony concluded with a wreath presentation at the War Memorial to be carried by retired Maj. Lorraine Holland and retired Staff Sgt. Norris Henderson, a ceremonial flag folding with an explanation of the symbolic 13 folds and the playing of Taps. Organizers directed attendees to proceed outside to American Legion Post 331 for the wreath-laying and final observances.
The program named several Gold Star family members and local officials in attendance, and organizers invited any other Gold Star families present to identify themselves for recognition. The county asked residents to observe Memorial Day activities and encouraged ongoing support for veterans throughout the year.
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