VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - For the first time in more than 30 years, the City of Virginia Beach moved their annual Memorial Day ceremony indoors.
"With the possibility of thunder storms and lightning and we got together yesterday our committee did and made the decision to do it inside," said Charlie Montgomery, a member of the Mayor’s Veterans Committee.
Complete coverage: Memorial Day 2016
According to Montgomery, the event has been held in the rain during previous years, but the threat of storms was enough to make the move to the Virginia Beach Convention Center. .
"We are lucky enough to work with the city we were able to get this ballroom to put this program on," said Montgomery.
Despite the weather and change in venue, more than 100 people still came out to pay their respects to our fallen Service men and women, which didn't surprise David Shell, a local Navy veteran.
"I think we could be talking a major Category 5 Hurricane and you should still have people show up the crowd here," said Shell.
Since the venue was moved indoors, the City was not able to have the 21 gun salute or fly over that were originally scheduled, but attendees said they were just happy to be able to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
"It's about the people who didn't come back," said Shell. "Everyone in the room today did come back we get to see them all the time, but we don't get to see the others at all."
