Some Selmians gave one minute of their lives Monday to honor soldiers who gave years of their lives.

The city of Selma commemorated Memorial Day with a Moment of Remembrance program at 3 p.m. at City Hall.

The program encouraged attendees to observe a moment of silence for one minute when the clock struck 3 p.m.

Program chairperson Kay Alsobrook believes Memorial Day is more than a holiday.

“I think a ceremony like this helps people understand the significance of those not only willing [to go to war], but those willing to give their lives, if that’s what it took,” she said. “It’s [one minute] not enough. Nothing really is ever enough.”

Before 3 p.m. came, Selma Mayor George Evans, Orrville Mayor Louvenia Lumpkin and Valley Grande Mayor Wayne Labbe opened the ceremony with remarks about the importance of the day.

To make the ceremony more personal, veterans read the names of soldiers from the Dallas County area who lost their lives in wars.

Despite the rainy weather that day, Alsobrook said she was pleased with the number of participants.

Veteran Billy Alsobrook battled the rain to attend the event. If he could speak with a fallen hero, he said he would thank him or her.

“We owe a great deal of thanks to all of our fallen veterans,” he said.

Evans said he wishes Memorial Day would be celebrated on a more grand scale like the Fourth of July. On the other hand, he is grateful for the American heroes who stood on the line for our freedom.

“I believe our fallen soldiers deserve that [recognition],” he said. “We enjoy certain freedoms that might not have been available to us if those individuals had not gone to war and died.”

A single minute of recognition should become a nationwide standard, Evans said.

He said he hopes the whole United States will take out a moment of silence in the future.

“Some parents, children, wives and husbands have lost a family member,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll never forget that. So, why can’t we give honor and homage to that one minute.”