Northwest Iowa — It will soon be time to honor the memory of those who gave their all fighting for our country, and to remember those who have worn the uniform and who have now gone before us into Glory.
On Monday, we commemorate Memorial Day. Many communities and organizations will have Memorial Day observances.
In Sheldon, the Memorial Day service will be at 10:00 a.m. at the Sheldon High School Auditorium. The speaker will be Colonel Joseph Ascherl. Rachel Kleinhesselink will read a poem.
There will also be a First CRC Young People Pancake Breakfast. That will run from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. at the Sheldon Christian School Gym. The fundraiser supports the youth group.
At Sanborn, the American Legion – Earl T. Conway Post and Sanborn Christian Grade School will host the Memorial Day Program at the Sanborn Christian Grade School Gym starting at 10 a.m. Their speaker will be Pastor Phil Westra of the Sanborn Christian Reformed Church. Fourth and fifth grade classes will lead some patriotic singing, the fifth through eighth grade band and volunteers from the community will be playing three pieces. There will also be a FREE Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast on Memorial Day — May 25th, serving from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. at the Sanborn Fire Department.
The Paullina firefighters will hold their annual Memorial Day pancake breakfast at their fire station from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
The Ashton ceremony will start at 9:30 at the Ashton Legion Community Center. The special speaker will be Dave Herbert. The special music and leading of music will be by Amy Shaeffer and family. Afterwards, they will proceed to a short service at Gilman and St. Mary’s Cemetery, which will include the anthem, gun salute, taps, and more. The Town & Country Club will host a noon lunch from 11:00 to 1:00 at the hall for a freewill offering.
At Melvin, American Legion Post 470 will have Memorial Day services at Baker Cemetery, two miles east and two miles north of Melvin. They will start at 10:30 a.m. The guest speaker will be LTC. Larry Brocksus, retired USAF. He graduated from Melvin High School in 1975, attended college, and enlisted in the Air Force. He trained to be a pilot, flew KC135 refuelers, and held many other positions during his 27-year Military career. 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.
Ocheyedan and Sibley will have very similar services. Ocheyedan’s starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Ocheyedan Township Cemetery, and Sibley’s will start at 11:00 a.m. at the Holman Township Cemetery. At both services, Rev. Tim Nappe will speak, among many others, and the music will be provided by the Sibley-Ocheyedan High School Band, under the direction of Kelly Jacobsen.
The Boyden Memorial Day service will start at 8:30 a.m. on Monday at the St. John Cemetery and at 9:30 a.m. at the Demco Community Center. Speakers are Kaelyn Giefer and Jim Lynn from Veterans’ Community Project or VCP. Coffee and snacks will be served. Donations are welcome to support the VCP.
The Christian Reformed Churches of Hawarden, Ireton, and Lebanon invite you to a Memorial Day Weekend worship service at Hawarden Christian Reformed Church on Sunday, May 24th at 10 a.m. A potluck will follow the service, and everyone is welcome to gather in worship and fellowship. Again, that’s the day BEFORE Memorial Day — Sunday the 24th.
At Orange City, the service on Memorial Day will start at 9:30 a.m. at West Lawn Cemetery. The rain location is the Orange City First Reformed Church. A local Purple Heart recipient will have the address, and two girls from Girls State will speak. A local girl will sing the national anthem, plus there will also be recorded music.
At Sioux Center, the observance starts on Sunday, May 24th, with the annual patriotic evening service at Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center. Rev. Dr. Cliff Hoekstra will have the message. On Monday morning, the services at Memory Gardens Cemetery will start at 9:30 a.m. There will be a bike decorating contest at Kinsey Elementary. One of the two Sioux Center Police officers who recently returned from tours of duty in the Middle East will speak. The Sioux Center High School Marching Band will play, and there will be special music by Sioux Center High School students. The rain location is the Centre Mall.
In Doon, the Memorial Day observance will start with a short parade downtown near the Veterans Memorial at 9:00 a.m., and will continue at Doon’s Hillside Cemetery. The Central Lyon 7-8 Band will provide the music, under the direction of Mr. Austin Dixon.
At George, the ceremony will be at 10:00 a.m. at the George-Little Rock High School Auditorium. One of the highlights of the ceremony will be the honoring of long-serving veterans in the American Legion. Among them is KIWA’s “Trusty Weatherman,” 102-year-old Clarence Stubbe, who has been a Legion member for an unbelievable 80 years. The speaker will be Pastor Verlyn Netten, and music will be provided by the George-Little Rock Band, under the direction of Alan Holloway. The ceremony will then adjourn to the Evergreen Lawn Cemetery for a short service there, followed by another short service at the George Good Samaritan Center.
In Little Rock, the ceremony will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the GLR Little Rock Elementary School. Rev. Steve Anderson and Commander Merlin Ver Steeg will speak. The audience will sing the music. They will then go to the Pleasant View Cemetery for a short service there.
At Rock Rapids, the Memorial Day service will start at 10:00 a.m. at the Riverview Cemetery. The rain location is the Forster Community Center. Veteran Jeff De Yong is the special speaker, and
Elsie Buntjer will give the Gettysburg address. Rex Strait Post 103 American Legion and Van Anne-Fields VFW Post 6960 representatives and auxiliaries will have their annual presentations. A gun salute will be rendered, and taps will be played, followed by the national anthem. After the service at Riverview Cemetery, the veterans and anyone interested will proceed to the Holy Name Catholic Cemetery, where there will be a short service, which will include another gun salute, taps, and a prayer. At the conclusion, everyone is invited to the VFW Club, where there will be coffee and cookies.
The Rock Rapids veterans are also looking for some help. On Friday evening, May 22nd, they will be putting out the small flags on all veterans’ graves and they could use your assistance for that. They will meet at 6:00 p.m. Then, on Memorial Day Monday morning at 7:00 a.m., they will be setting out the Avenue of Flags — one full-size flag for each veteran — and they could use the public’s help with that as well.
