Hundreds of people met at St. Johns Cemetery Saturday to lay flags on grave sites and remember those who have helped protect our freedom.

Volunteers placed flags on the graves of more than 5,000 military veterans across eight Norwalk cemeteries.

The annual event, hosted by King Industries, takes place right around Memorial Day. Organizers say the purpose is to remind people that the day is about more than sales or barbecues, it's about those who have served, continue to serve and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

"When you take a quiet moment of reflection and you're walking, looking at the grave, seeing when someone was born, and when they passed, where they served, each of them tell their own unique story," says Bob King from King Industries.

After the opening ceremony, dozens of volunteers switched out old flags for brand new ones. Organizers say they want people to have a quiet moment to reflect on those lives lost.