Wearing face masks and standing six feet apart, a handful of residents gathered at the Orange County Veterans Memorial to celebrate Memorial Day amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With people encouraged to stay home during the pandemic, Orange County streamed its Memorial Day service via Facebook Live. Fred Black from the Orange County Veterans Memorial Committee said it was important for the county to have a service while abiding by current safety restrictions.

“We kicked it around and we decided that it wasn’t appropriate to have a full ceremony this year because that wouldn’t fit the guidance,” Black said. “So we said a small group of us would assemble, put on the program and then it’s going to be broadcast again on various websites so that people can feel like they’re participating.”

Although the memorial itself has not been constructed, a site was approved in 2016 on Homestead Road near the Seymour Center. The memorial will be funded by private donations with support and land donation from Orange County and additional support from the Towns of Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and Carrboro.

On Friday, North Carolina moved to Phase 2 of the state’s reopening. Under those guidelines, groups of no more than 25 people are allowed to gather outdoors.

Despite the small number of participants as compared to years past, Black said the county’s message to residents on Memorial Day remained the same.

“Remember the fallen,” he said, “and you can honor them through remembrance.”

Watch the complete Memorial Day presentation from Orange County below:

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