Memorial Day tribute begins at 10 a.m. Monday, May 26 at the Courthouse
Memorial Day featured speaker: Aaron DeSilva
The Seminole County Memorial Day ceremony, hosted by the American Legion Post 157, is set for Monday, May 26 and will be held on the front lawn of the Seminole County Courthouse located on Knox Avenue in downtown Donalsonville.
Memorial Day weekend begins this Friday afternoon and the annual Seminole County Memorial Day celebration and ceremony, honoring those who gave the supreme sacrifice for our freedom, will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday.
The American Legion Color Guard, consisting of Payton Horne, Shane Collins, and Stephen Rolle, will handle the raising and lowering of the American flag. American Legion Post Commander Royce Davis will serve as the event’s master of ceremonies and will lead the community in the Pledge to the American flag. The invocation will be given by Chaplain Keith Smith, and the Laying of the Wreath will be presented by the Legion’s Honor Guard, Milton Smith and George Doyle
The keynote speaker for this year’s event will be U.S. Army Veteran Aaron DaSilva, a prior service U.S. Army aviator and Black Hawk helicopter crew chief with over a decade of military aviation experience. A combat veteran, DaSilva served in Iraq and Syria with the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade and the 82nd Airborne Division, supporting air assault missions and medevac operations. Domestically, DaSilva flew critical missions in Montana, including high-altitude search and rescue and wildfire suppression, as well as disaster response flights in Florida and the Caribbean during Hurricanes Michael and Dorian. Aaron has shown unmatched operational expertise, resilience, and a commitment to service forged in both combat and humanitarian missions.
After his years of service, Aaron now serves the Southwest Georgia and North Florida real estate markets at First & Main Real Estate Group in Bainbridge. At First & Main, Aaron brings the same dedication — helping families, fellow veterans, and first-time buyers navigate the housing market with confidence.
Aaron and his family continue deepening their Decatur County roots in Brinson, Georgia on property approaching 200 years of family ownership. His three children attend Grace Academy in Bainbridge.
