Veterans and the families of those who served will be joined by those looking to show their respect during a number of Memorial Day events planned in the area Monday, May 28.
Memorial Park hosts Lancaster observation
For those looking to attend in Lancaster, the tradition continues in Memorial Park Monday.
Veterans will get together early in the morning at the park, where they will leave at 7:20 a.m. and visit nine cemeteries. St. Paul Cemetery will be first at 7:30 a.m., followed by Dyer Cemetery along Dyer Road at 7:45 a.m. Mt. Zion Cemetery on CTH K will be visited at 8 a.m. The Episcopal Cemetery will be visited at 8:15 a.m., then Little Grant at 8:40 a.m. St. Clement Cemetery will have an observance at 9 a.m., followed by Old St. Clement/Pigeon Cemetery at 9:15 a.m.
Cemeteries at Hurricane, Aupperle, and Hillside will have observances in 15-minute intervals, ending at 10 a.m.
Veterans will return to Lancaster, where they will assemble at 10:15 at the park. They will march to open the observance at 10:30 a.m. Lancaster High School and Middle School bands will perform the national anthem, as well as other pieces during the program.
Ivars Kalnins will open the observance as master of ceremonies, with Pastor Mark Dieter giving the opening prayer, as well as the benediction. Andy Robbins will present a message from American Legion Post 109, while Roger Reed will represent the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 40, and Rodger Irish will speak on behalf of VFW Post 2344.
Kristine McMahon will read the Gettysburg address, while Ryan Ingebritsen and Andrew Gates will play Taps honoring those who passed.
Cassville holds event at memorial
Memorial Day ceremonies in Cassville Monday will include tributes at the four areas cemeteries and a program at the new veterans memorial in Riverside Park. Veterans will assemble at the Municipal Building at 8:45 a.m. and proceed first to the St. Charles Cemetery, then to the Advent Cemetery, next to St. Mary’s Settlement Cemetery, and Burton Cemetery and conclude tributes to fallen veterans at the Cassville Cemetery.
The program in the park, at the veterans memorial, is scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m. Musical numbers by the Cassville High School Band will be part of the event.
Guest speaker this year will be Pastor Don Zahurance from the River Valley Church. Cassville’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7080, led by CDR Terry L. Roe and American Legion Post 352, led by CDR Steve Kirschbaum will perform a salute. Area residents are invited to attend the ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in Riverside Park.
After the ceremony veterans and spouses are invited to a picnic in the Lions shelter at Riverside Park.
Potosi
In Potosi, members of VFW Post 5276 and American Legion Post 473 will host Memorial Day church services at St. Andrews Church, starting at 9 a.m. Veterans will visit the gravesides at St. Andrews, British Hollow at 10:15 a.m., St. Thomas at 10:30, and Van Buren cemetery at 10:45, as well as the Potosi campgrounds at 11 a.m. and Hickory Hill Park at 11:30. Potosi veterans are to meet in Tennyson at 8:30 a.m.
Events in Bloomington
Bloomington Memorial Day Ceremonies will be observed on Monday, May 28. The American Legion Color Guard will lead the parade from the Bloomington Firehouse, through Main Street and on to the cemetery, starting at 11:30 a.m.
Wreaths will be placed on the graves of deceased veterans.
The River Ridge band will perform at the Glen Haven levee and the Bloomington cemetery.
All veterans, civic groups and children are urged to participate. There will also be services at Blakes Prairie at 8 a.m., Lumpkin at 8:15, Scott at 8:30, and Goeckel at 8:45. Services will also be held at Charlotte, Ramsey, Dodge, and Providence cemeteries.
A picnic lunch will be served for all veterans and their families at Bloomington Community Park following the ceremonies. If there is inclement weather, the picnic will be held in the American Legion Hall. For more information on the event, call John Horkheimer at 994-2872.
Blue Boy to be rededicated
At 2 p.m. Memorial Day afternoon, the Civil War Statue and fountain that stands on the courthouse square will be rededicated on the courthouse lawn.
Last Wednesday, at approximately 7:30 a.m., members of the county’s maintenance staff and the highway department worked to place the statue, which went through an extensive restoration, back on its perch on top of the fountain that was put back into place after its own restoration a week earlier.
Veterans will be participating in the dedication of the statue.
Poppy Day Friday
and Saturday
Auxiliary members of Richards Burn Unit 109 - Lancaster understand the sacrifice our Armed Forces have made to preserve freedom and to honor past and current service members. Members of Richard Burns Unit 109 – Lancaster will wear a red Memorial Poppy, a symbol of price of war and the sacrifice of millions, as a sign of their appreciation this Memorial Day weekend.
The Poppy also honors Wisconsin’s disabled veterans at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee who make the red crepe paper Poppy. Wisconsin’s Red Poppies provide financial and therapeutic benefit to these veterans, as well as the thousand of veterans and their families who benefit from the donations collected from the distribution of the Auxiliary Poppy.
