Tom Day playing "Taps" on a bugle which was re-plated for him by Anderson Silver Plating, Elkhart, where Terry Vantine works. (Photo by Jim Nickel)

On Wednesday, November 11, at 11:00 a.m., a unique treat is in store for patriotic Americans who want to honor our nation’s military personnel on Veterans Day. It is a special event called “Echo Taps from the Heart,” the first such presentation in the Midwest.

Beginning at the Veterans Memorial at the south end of Prairie Street Cemetery, 50 buglers will line a five-mile route through Elkhart to Rice Cemetery. Stationed 1/10th of a mile apart, each musician will pick up the last three notes of the previous player of “Taps,” creating a moving echo effect in honor of all military veterans, living and deceased.

The Echo Taps will proceed north to Hively Avenue, then east to Main Street, north to Indiana Avenue, east to Tipton Street, north to McDonald Street, west to Richmond Street, north to Blazer Boulevard, and finally east into Rice Cemetery. It is hoped by the organizers, Terry Vantine and Brian Thomas, that spectators will line this route in a respectful tribute to all who have served our nation in the military services.

The title “Echo Taps from the Heart” was chosen, first of all, because some claim Elkhart takes its name from Island Park, which is shaped like an elk’s heart, and secondly, because, when a live bugler sounds “Taps” at the burial of a military veteran, he is playing “from the heart” for the deceased person and his family.

The first Echo Taps was conducted in 2004 in New York state, where more than 800 horn players stretched for 41 miles between two national cemeteries, establishing a Guinness world record. It was sponsored by Bugles Across America, which was founded in 2000 by Tom Day of Berwyn, Illinois. Day is a Navy and Marine veteran, and a volunteer bugler at many burial services for veterans.

The Elkhart event got its start when Tom came to Anderson Silver Plating to have work done on his collection of horns. He worked closely there with Terry Vantine, who became interested in the Echo Taps concept, then recruited several friends to join him in planning and sponsoring “Echo Taps from the Heart.” Tom Day will be present for the November 11 tribute in Elkhart.

Bugles Across America (BAA) was started in 2000, after the U.S. Congress passed a bill that guaranteed that all veterans would receive at their funerals a flag ceremony performed by at least two uniformed service personnel, and the playing of “Taps.” If a bugler was not available, “Taps” could be played from a CD recording. That’s when Tom Day got involved.

Tom felt strongly that every veteran deserved a live rendition of “Taps” played by a live bugler. His organization has recruited more than 5,000 persons, who have served at many thousands of funerals across the country.

The only requirement is that a person can play the 24 notes of “Taps” on a bugle, trumpet, cornet, or flugelhorn. Buglers can be young or old, male or female. Military service is not necessary.

There is no cost to a family requesting a bugler to perform at a veteran’s burial service. A volunteer bugler can be located by consulting the BAA website: www.buglesacrossamerica.org.