The city of Post Falls and Steven H. Nipp American legion Post 143 remembered fallen military Monday morning during a ceremony at Evergreen Cemetery.

State Rep. Ron Mendive (R-Post Falls) gave the keynote address, in which he remembered the scars of both living veterans and the more than 1.3 million men and women who did not return from battle.

“Their lives were sacrificed on the battlefield, and they did not get to come home to a joyous reunion with family and friends,” Mendive said. “Others wore battle scars and have since been laid to rest, and there are many present here today who still carry scars from the wars that they faced.”

Mendive implored the roughly 200 people in attendance to contemplate their freedoms, which are sometimes taken for granted.

“This should also be a day when we recognize the freedoms that we always enjoy but sometimes take for granted: the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, the freedom of press, the right to assemble, the freedom to petition our government, the freedom to bear arms, and to have a fair and speedy trial by a jury of our peers,” he said.

Mendive also offered some solutions to how citizens could repay the debt to fallen heroes without being able to thank them in the flesh.

“We must always be mindful and thankful to our veterans,” he said. “As a nation we must keep our promises to those who have sacrificed on our behalf. We must ensure that our youth are educated in American history to dispel the indoctrination that America is evil and the problem, instead of the solution.”

The District 3 representative — whose parents both served in World War II — celebrated the Founding Fathers for their courage and foresight.

“They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor for a dream of living as free men in a free country,” Mendive said. “They fully understand what they were pledging. They had a vision for a nation that would be unique in world history, and they were willing to give all to establish what could be called ‘The American experiment.’ They were just basing everything on a dream. We’re blessed to live in that dream.”

Before Mendive’s address, the poem “I’m Free,” written by Post 143 Legionnaire Carl “Frenchie” Elley was recited.

Post Falls city councilwoman and Post 143 Auxiliary President Kerri Thoreson also honored the memory of Steven Nipp, a Post Falls native who was killed in Vietnam in 1969 during his second tour of duty.

The names of the 22 Post Falls veterans who died during the previous 12 months were also read aloud as a bell tolled to honor their memory and service.