Honoring their sacrifice and earnestly searching for those who are still missing is the theme of National POW/MIA Recognition Day. The Manheim Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Cyrus R. Peters Memorial Post 5956 and its Auxiliary will hold a ceremony to commemorate the day on Friday, Sept. 20. It will begin at 6 p.m. at the post, 149 S. Charlotte St., Manheim.

The ceremony will start with opening remarks from post commander Craig Fisher, followed by an opening prayer from the post chaplain and a proclamation from the mayor of Manheim. The Missing Man Table will be set, honoring prisoners of war (POWs) and service members missing in action (MIA). Set for one and never occupied, the table will feature various symbols representing the sacrifice and impact of these veterans.

"We will provide information on what is on the table as we're setting it and what it stands for," said Maria Apostolec, patriotic instructor for the Manheim VFW Auxiliary.

The ceremony will also include a violinist who will play "Amazing Grace" and a bugler who will play taps.

Held annually on the third Friday in September since 1979, National POW/MIA Recognition Day features ceremonies at locations across the country, including military installations, ships at sea, state capitols, schools and veterans' facilities. The national ceremony is held at the Pentagon.

"A ceremony like this is important because it reminds us to never forget the people who are still missing and to honor those who were held captive," Apostolec shared. "There are still families out there who don't know what happened to their family members. They are still waiting for answers."

Names of veterans whose remains have been recovered within the past year will be read at the ceremony, she said, and the event offers people a chance to support local families.

"People can learn a little about what we're doing to try to get their family members closure, and it's a way to show support for the families," she explained.

More than 80,000 American veterans are missing, she added, and the search is ongoing to locate as many as possible. The efforts of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which coordinates the Pentagon event, focus on veterans from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War and the Gulf War.

Apostolec joined the VFW auxiliary about 18 months ago. Her father was a veteran of World War II, and she has two brothers who served in Vietnam. She started her role as patriotic instructor in April. Her responsibilities in the position include instruction on proper flag display and treatment, educational programming at local schools and organizing events such as the POW/MIA ceremony.

She encourages everyone to come to the ceremony and extends an invitation to anyone who is eligible to join the VFW.

"Our club is aging, and we're in need of younger, energetic people," she said. "We want new ideas coming in, so we can accomplish everything we'd like to do for our veterans."

To learn more about the Manheim VFW, search for "Manheim VFW Post 5956 - Cyrus R. Peters Memorial Post" on Facebook or call 717-665-9536.