Earlier announcements that there would be no Memorial Day services this year were made preemptively before all of the plans could be set, said American Legion Post 413, Commander Bob Mattson.
“If the weather is good, we will hold a Memorial Day Service on the courthouse lawn at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 25,” he said. “If the weather is bad, we won’t be able to hold a service this year.”
That’s because in the past if it rained or the wind was too strong, the service could be moved into Grandma Ray’s, the former American Legion building. This year that is not an option with Grandma Ray’s closed to inside use under the governor’s current COVID-19 pandemic orders.
The service will probably be briefer than it usually is, added Mattson.
As far as spacing, Bob asks the public to be careful to keep their distance from each other. “Normally, we have a lot of older people that attend this service, and I would sure hate it if anyone got sick,” he said, adding, “It won’t be a problem for the color guard; we have plenty of room to space ourselves.”
Every year the names of local veterans who have passed away during the prior year are read. A bell is struck after each name is recited. Taps are played, prayers are said, tears are shed, the Honor Guard fires off a final salute. Some folks end the ceremony by visiting the graves of soldiers; some go to Grandma Ray’s and eat. This year it is take out only, a small inconvenience for the freedoms that have been won for us.
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