Northwest Iowa — Memorial Day is this coming Monday, May 31st, and while it is the unofficial start to the summer vacation season, it’s also an important day to remember the ultimate sacrifice paid by veterans in service to our country.
Many towns in the area have Memorial Day observances at the local cemetery, and if it rains, most of them move to a city hall or community center. Some programs are always indoors. Some towns have Memorial Day breakfasts as well.
In O’Brien County:
The American Legion Post 145 of Sheldon will have a Memorial Day program at the Sheldon High School at 10:00 a.m. on Memorial Day. Sheldon’s First Christian Reformed Church Young People’s Society will hold a Memorial Day breakfast from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the Christian School gym. All are invited. Freewill donations will be accepted.
The Paullina Firemen’s Annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast & Bake Sale is on Memorial Day. They’ll be serving pancakes, eggs, sausage, orange juice, coffee and milk from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Paullina fire station for a free-will donation. A take-out option will be available. All proceeds go to getting new equipment and building a new fire station.
A Memorial Day Breakfast will be served from 8-10 a.m. at the Sanborn Community Center. There will be a Memorial Day ceremony at Sanborn Christian School Gym at 10:00 a.m.
In Osceola County:
The Ashton program will be at the Legion Community Center at 9:30 a.m. There will be patriotic music and the memorial address will be by Pastor Dan Kunnari. Afterward, there will be a service at the cemetery including a gun salute and Taps. The Town & Country Club will be hosting a noon lunch from 11:00 to 1:00, served in the hall. Free will offering will go toward expenses of Town & Country Days on August 20 & 21.
The Melvin program will be at Baker Township Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. The National Anthem and other numbers will be presented by the HMS Band, and the special speaker will be Dave Herbert, a retired Marine.
The Ocheyedan program will be at the Ocheyedan Cemetery at 10:45 a.m., or at the Town Hall in case of rain. A brass ensemble and others will provide music. Pastor Steve Swenson will give the address. There will be a rifle salute and Taps.
Sibley’s Memorial Day program will begin at 9 a.m. at Holman Cemetery, or at the Sibley Legion Hall in case of rain. The Sibley-Ocheyedan High School Band will perform and the guest speaker is Gary Snow. A firing squad will perform a salute, followed by Taps.
In Sioux County:
The Boyden American Legion William Monster Post will have their Memorial Day Services on Monday at 9:30 a.m. at the DEMCO Community Center on Main Street in Boyden.
In Hull, there will be three ceremonies, with one at each of the cemeteries. There will be a short ceremony at the Catholic Cemetery at 8:30 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., there will be a little bit longer ceremony at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery. There will be a special speaker, and the Boyden-Hull Jr. High Band will play. The main ceremony will be at Hope Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. There will be a special speaker, the Boyden-Hull High School Band will play, and remarks will be given by the post commander. A gun salute will be rendered and Taps will be played at all of the ceremonies.
A Memorial Day Worship Service will be held on Sunday, May 30th at Oak Grove Park starting at 10 a.m. This morning service will be held outside, with donations being accepted for Love INC. In case of bad weather, it will be held at the Hawarden Christian Reformed Church.
A Memorial Day Breakfast will be served on Monday, May 31st from 7-10 a.m., at the Ireton City Park Shelter house. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, and drinks will be served. Freewill donations will be accepted for Christian Education.
The Pressman-Kosters Post 329 of Orange City will present that city’s service at 9:30 a.m. on Memorial Day at West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. In case of rain, the service will be moved to the First Reformed Church in Orange City. The speaker will be Rev. Jeff Whitt of the Orange City Evangelical Free Church.
The Sioux Center observances will begin with a breakfast from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the Children’s Park Shelter House, hosted by Bethel Reformed Church’s youth group. The VFW bike-decorating contest will be at 8:30 at the Kinsey Elementary parking lot. The kids on bikes will join the parade from there. The parade starts at 9:15 a.m. and will finish at the program at the Memory Gardens Cemetery, which is to begin at 9:30. In case of rain, the program will be at the Centre Mall.
In Lyon County:
The Rock Rapids observance will be at Riverview Cemetary at 10 a.m. The guest speaker will be Laureen Schram. Music will be provided by the Central Lyon High School Band.
Doon’s Memorial Day observances will start at 9 a.m. at the Veterans’ Memorial and will move to Hillside Cemetery. The speaker will be Peter Kolbb. Music will be provided by the Central Lyon 7-8 Band. In case of rain, the service will be moved to the Doon Community Center in the old school.
Little Rock services will begin at the cemetery at 10:00 a.m. The Rev. Barry Wynveen will read the names of departed veterans. In case of rain, it will be in the Town & Country Building instead.
In George, services start with the naval service at the bridge at 9:15, with the main service to follow at 10:00 at the George-Little Rock High School. Pastor Sarah Deutsch of Immanuel Lutheran in George will be the speaker, and the George-Little Rock High School Band will play. Among the honors given will be to 97-year-old Clarence Stubbe of George, who has been a Legion member for 75 years.
