Northwest Iowa — Memorial Day events have been scheduled throughout the country. We have the details of several of them in our area.
In Sheldon, the Memorial Day service will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday at Sheldon High School. The speaker will be active military member and Sanford Sheldon Physician, Dr. Josephine Dunn-Junius. The Sheldon High School Band will play an Armed Forces medley. The memorial wreaths will be presented. Kathy Wieringa with the American Legion Auxiliary will have a reading. The Commander of the American Legion post will give an address. Katricia Meendering will lead the music, and Pastor Kevin Gingrich of the Sheldon Faith Community Church will have the opening and closing prayers. The service will be live-streamed on the KIWA Facebook page.
Around the area — in Lyon County:
The Doon Memorial Day Service is scheduled for Monday, May 26th, starting downtown at 9:00 a.m. Those that are wanting to walk need to line up at 8:45. Coffee and Rolls will be served at 8:30, and following the service at the Doon Community Meeting room. The speaker for the morning is Cliff Hoekstra. The National Anthem will be performed by Heather Vande Kieft. Decorating crosses are Madison Mantel, Carolyn Reichert, Charlie Anderson and Charlotte Vande Kieft. The Gettysburg Address will be read by Karsten Van Surksum.
At George, volunteers will meet at 7:00 a.m. at the cemetery to put up flags, weather permitting. They tell us they do need volunteers for this. At 9:00 a.m., they’ll have the prayer at the bridge south of town for fallen Navy sailors. At 9:15, they’ll have a prayer at the Veterans Memorial for all fallen soldiers. At 10:00, it’s time for the Memorial Day Program at the George Little Rock Auditorium. The gun salute will be rendered, and Taps will be played at the cemetery at 11:00. There will be a Memorial Day Program at the George Good Samaritan Center at 11:30. Volunteers will be needed at 4:00 at the cemetery to take the flags down.
At Little Rock, the ceremony will be at 10:00 at the school, followed by the rest of the program at the cemetery. Salem Reformed minister Rev. Daniel Stanley will be the special speaker. The Commander’s Address will be by Merlin Versteeg, and music will be by the audience.
At Rock Rapids, the little flags on the graves will be placed at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night, and they are asking for volunteers. At 7:00 a.m. on Monday, they will put out the big flags for the Avenue of Flags. The ceremony will be at 10:00 a.m. at the Riverview Cemetery, or, if there is inclement weather, it will be moved to the Forster Community Center. Veteran Mark Kock is the special speaker. The Central Lyon High School Band will perform. There will be American Legion and VFW ceremonies. People are invited to the VFW club afterwards for coffee and cookies.
In O’Brien County:
There will be a Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast at the Paullina Fire Department. It’s a fundraiser for the building. It runs from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday. Pancakes, sausage, coffee, orange juice, and milk will be served.
In Osceola County:
The Ashton Memorial Day Service will be at William Ben Hoffman Post 290 on Monday at 9:00 a.m. There will be coffee & rolls starting at 8:30. The Speaker will be David Trie. Music will be by Aubree & Mark Boender. Town & Country will have their meal from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Ashton Community Building.
American Legion Post 470 in Melvin invites everyone to observe Memorial Day services at Baker Cemetery — two miles east and two miles north of Melvin — beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Monday. The guest speaker will be Retired Command Sergeant Major Jack Hanson, who, as a young serviceman, served in the Vietnam Conflict from 1967-1968. Those attending are urged to bring lawn chairs for their comfort. In case of inclement weather, the ceremonies will be held in the American Legion Community Center in Melvin.
The Ocheyedan Memorial Day observance will be at 10:45 on Monday. The speaker is Pastor Steve Swenson. The event will be at the Town Hall in the event of rain.
In Sioux County:
The Boyden American Legion Memorial Day celebration and program will be held on Monday at 9:30 a.m. at the DEMCO Community Center at 714 Main Street in Boyden. Their speaker will be Congressman Randy Feenstra from Hull. Refreshments will be served following the service. Poppies will be available at local businesses and before the services. Services at the St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery will be at 8:30 a.m.
The Ireton Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast will be from 7:00 – 10:00 a.m. at the Ireton Ballpark Shelter House on Monday. They’ll be serving from 7:00 to 10:00 am. A free will offering will be collected for the Ireton Christian Reformed Church Missions Team.
All are invited to the Memorial Day weekend worship service at Oak Grove Park on Sunday, May 25th, at 10:00 a.m. The service will be held near the river, or will be relocated to the Hawarden Christian Reformed Church in case of inclement weather. A free picnic will take place immediately following the service.
And in Sioux Center, you are invited to join the Bethel Christian Reformed Church for their pancake breakfast on Memorial Day from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. at the Children’s Park shelter house in Sioux Center. They’ll be serving pancakes, sausage links, and beverages.
KIWA Staff Photo
