Council recognizes Youth On Guard Memorial Foundation for Memorial Day reenactment

Representatives of the Youth On Guard Memorial Foundation described their reenactment of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the training young sentinels undergo to maintain a continuous watch during Memorial Day weekend. Co-executive directors Ashley Johnson and Bailey Lunsford outlined the ceremony's steps, the training regimen and the reasons the program serves veterans and families unable to travel to Arlington National Cemetery.

"Our mission is to remember, honor, and heal," one speaker said when describing the program's goals and its local reenactment at Floral Haven Memorial Gardens. The council mayor read a proclamation commending the foundation's service, and staff noted the group will receive an original citation and a separate certificate of special senate recognition.

Council members and attendees praised the presentation and recounted the emotional experience of late‑night ceremonies. The mayor noted that the city's vice mayor served with the Old Guard at Arlington and thanked the group for providing a local place of remembrance.

The recognition included a formal citation prepared by the mayor and a statement that the original will be mailed to the organization; council members encouraged further community support and engagement with the group's volunteer and application process.