Barbara Lawlor, Gilpin County.  A gust of wind unfurled the American flag, spreading it flat against the Gilpin County sky that was pillowed with white clouds. The flag was half-mast. The veterans and their families held their hands to their hearts.

Three rounds of shots from seven guns fired by seven veterans cracked through the silence, in remembrance of those who served our country in all the wars. The ceremony took place at the Gilpin County Veterans Memorial, at the recreation center, on Monday morning at 11 p.m.

For the past 20 years, American Legion Commander Teo Dominguez has led the traditional Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day ceremonies in Gilpin County, honoring those veterans who fought America’s battles and died. Each year, those who passed on in the preceding year are remembered and a wreath of red white and blue flowers are placed on the memorial.

Kay Lorenz representing the Daughters of the American Revolution Rendezvous Chapter placed the wreath on the memorial of Paul Fisher, who passed away last fall.

Timberline Fire Protection District chief, Glen Levy, was at the ceremony providing a fire engine, which was used as a windbreak at the presentation table.

During the ceremony Irl Slaughter, of Wheatridge, a 20-year veteran of the Air Force, was surrounded by his Gilpin County family, who invited him up to attend the ceremony.

Dominquez announced that he intends to retire from organizing the event, and said Doug Lupo would be the future commandeer. Lupo gave a short history of Memorial Day, the local flags were retired, and the group of veterans and their families solemnly left the memorial, thanking Dominquez for his years of service and for keeping the memory and honor of our veterans alive in Gilpin County.

Memorial Day was initiated as a way to remember those who died in the Civil War. The first Memorial Day took place in 1866 in Carbondale, Illinois, but the birthplace of the event is Waterloo, New York, where it was referred to as Decoration Day.

The national holiday became official in 1971. In 2000, President Bill Clinton signed an act requesting that all Americans should pause and remember those who died at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day.