Freedom is never free. Thousands of American men and women have paid steep prices for the liberties we sometimes take for granted.

Some of these heroes have even paid the ultimate price, sacrificing their lives in the name of “God and Country” — fittingly the theme of the 2012 Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade — to protect the ideals that our great nation was built upon.

Recognizing these sacrifices and saying “thank you” is at the heart of this weekend’s Memorial Day celebrations.

Many Lawrence Countians have also made these sacrifices and that is one of the reasons the parade holds such a special place in the hearts of so many people here.

This event takes a tremendous amount of work and would not be possible without the dedicated and selfless volunteers who make up the parade committee.

Inspired by the heroes who serve or have served in our armed forces, the parade committee members make personal sacrifices of their own and donate countless hours to ensure this tradition goes on.

As we celebrate this important holiday Monday and enjoy the 144th version of this rolling embodiment of patriotism, it is crucial that we recognize these volunteers along with the veterans who have made this celebration possible in the first place.

Hopefully everyone will have a safe, happy Memorial Day. This possible because of our veterans.