Take a part of today and use it for what Memorial Day was meant to be–a tribute to those of our fellow Americans who lost their lives in service to our country. You have several memorial services from which to pick:
Alton, Ill. will mark Memorial Day with that annual Alton Memorial Day Parade, the oldest consecutive running parade in the entire nation.
The parade kicks off at College and Washington Avenues at 10 a.m. and celebrates the history of Pie Town, Upper Alton and those that serve our country. Bring lawn chairs. For more information, call (618) 462-7527.
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, where 14,000 fallen soldiers are interred, will host a ceremony at the old Flag Circle at 10 .m. Larry Kay, executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission, will be the speaker. The public is encouraged to park at Sylvan Springs County Park and take shuttle buses to the cemetery; shuttles will begin running as early as 8 a.m.
On Saturday, Service Academies Alumni sponsored a ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Old Flag Circle. On Sunday, Boy Scouts placed flags at the gravesites and finished with a ceremony at 1 p.m.
The Cities of St. Peters and St. Peters Veterans Memorial Commission is sponsoring a special remembrance ceremony honoring the memory of those Americans who died in our nation’s service at the Veterans Memorial at St. Peters City Hall. The event is at 10 a.m. today, Monday, May 30, 2011.
Retired USMC Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Neubauer, a Vietnam Veteran, will be the guest speaker. Two members of VFW Post 10838 will present a wreath ceremony. The ceremony will also feature music performed by Gregg and Jamie Hitt, from Concert Music Ministries. Refreshments will be provided after the ceremony.
In case of bad weather, the ceremony will take place inside City Hall. For more information click here.
The St. Charles Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. May 30 at St. Charles Veterans Memorial, located at Bishops Landing near the Lewis and Clark Boathouse on the Missouri River.
Tom Kuypers, of VFW Post 2866, will serve as master of ceremonies. St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann and St. Charles Mayor Sally Faith will give welcome remarks. Music will be provided by the St. Charles Municipal Band.
IIf the weather is inclement, the program will move to American Legion Post 312, 2500 Raymond Drive.
The O’Fallon Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., May 30 at O’Fallon Veterans Memorial Walk, 800 Belleau Creek Road.
Mayor Bill Hennessy will deliver opening remarks. Army Lt. Col. Alan Rohlfing will be the keynote speaker. He will talk about Missouri’s Show-Me Heroes initiative to encourage businesses to hire veterans. Guest speaker Sam Horstmeier, a sophomore at Fort Zumwalt South High School, will read an essay about Memorial Day.
The ceremony is organized by the O’Fallon Veterans Commission, and will include the posting of the colors, the laying of the wreath and patriotic music by the O’Fallon Community Concert Band.
The Ballwin Historical Commission will host a ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday at the Peace Memorial in Vlasis Park, next to the Ballwin Police Department on Park Drive. The Ballwin VFW Post 6274 Honor Guard will participate. There is no charge to attend. Participants are asked to bring lawn chairs. After the ceremony, refreshments will be served, and commission members will give tours of the Historic Log Home in Vlasis Park.
In the event of rain, the ceremony will be moved to the police department.
The Sappington-Concord Historical Society will host its annual Memorial Day celebration at 10 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park, the small, grassy area bordered by Gravois, Denny and Sappington roads, across the street from Johnny’s Market.
Members of the Lindbergh High School Spirit of St. Louis Marching Band will perform. Retired Chief Warrant Officer (W-5) Randy Ottinger, a veteran helicopter pilot who served in Iraq, will be master of ceremonies.
The event will feature as a distinguished guest retired Maj. Gen. Bill C. Branson. Retired Master Sgt. Gary Cooper will present a tribute to soldiers who are prisoners of war or missing in action.
The ceremony is open to the public; spectators may bring lawn chairs. Johnny’s Market will allow parking on their rear parking lot, and parking will be available on the lot adjacent to the market.
Following the ceremony, all are invited to a reception in the auditorium of St. Lucas United Church of Christ, 11735 Denny Road. There will be military displays, books for sale and light refreshments.
On a lighter note, the Florissant Fine Arts Council presents a big band patriotic salute at 7 p.m. tonight.
The concert features Gary Dammer on trumpet and 17 of St. Louis area musicians in their annual Memorial Day Patriotic Salute.
Admission is $8, adults; $6 for seniors and students
For more information and and reservations, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florisasntfinearts.com
You have less than four hours left to get this deal so if you want it, you need to “hop on it.”
