Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the summer season, but Monday is the focal point as American patriots pay their respects to the men and women who gave their lives to the cause of freedom while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Rice LakeRice Lake American Legion Post 87 will conduct graveside military rites at several area cemeteries and conclude the day with a program at Veterans Memorial City Park, 20 E. Stout St., on Monday morning.
Before the program, the Rice Lake Area Veterans Center Honor Guard will offer graveside military rites at 8:10 a.m. at Nora; 8:40 a.m. at Dobie; 9 a.m. at Cedar Lake; 9:20 a.m. at Campia; 9:45 a.m. at Orchard Beach; 10:05 a.m. at Meadow Creek; and 10:20 a.m. at St. Joseph’s.
The Honor Guard will arrive at about 10:40 a.m. at Veterans Memorial City Park, and the service will begin at approximately 10:45 a.m.
Bethany Brass will perform a musical prelude and then play the National Emblem as the Honor Guard under the command of Commander Lloyd Meinen makes its entrance.
Dennis DeGidio will offer the opening remarks, Monte Lewis will give the invocation, and Ashley Gilbertson will lead the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance.
The ceremony will proceed with lowering the flag to half-mast and military honors. Doug Karis and Ric Brekke are scheduled to drop the wreath.
Steve Roux will be offering the Memorial Day remarks this year.
Music during the program will include the Bethany Brass and Gilbertson performing “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”
The program concludes with a rifle salute and “Taps” before the Honor Guard exits to “America the Beautiful.”
People who attend the program at Veterans Memorial City Park should bring their own lawn chairs as seating will not be provided.
People who attend the program also will be able to view a new batch of banners honoring Rice Lake area veterans along Veterans Lakeshore Drive.
The banners bear the names of a veteran, their branch of service, and how many years or wars in which they were involved.
The 22 banners — 21 bearing names of veterans, and one giving information with a QR code on how to nominate a vet for a banner for 2025 — will hang until Patriot Day on Sept. 11, giving people plenty of time to drive or walk along the shore and reflect on the brave men and women who served in the Armed Forces.
After the banners are taken down, they will be cleaned in preparation for the Community Veterans Day Program at the Rice Lake Middle School on Veterans Day, project coordinator Justine Bundegaard said. At the ceremony the service members who were honored or their family members will be given possession of their banners.
A list of this year’s service members can be found at https://rlveteransdrivepro.wixsite.com/rlvdprojects.
“The website lists the service members in the order they are along the street,” Bundegaard said.
And for the second year running, the In Remembrance 5K Run/Walk will be held on Memorial Day. The event starts at 8 a.m. at Veterans Memorial City Park.
The route follows Lakeshore Drive to Hammond Avenue before heading south to Short Street. The path continues south on Wilson Avenue until Water Street. Runners do a loop over the pedestrian bridge and then Stein and Main streets, before heading back to the start by Messenger and Newton streets and Lakeshore Drive.
Visit ricelakechamber.org for more information.
Cameron
At Cameron, the American Legion Post begins Monday with visits to five Cameron area cemeteries to pay respects to the fallen and give a military salute. They start at 8 a.m. at Pine Grove, then proceed to Faaberg, Pioneers Rest, and the old and new Sumner cemeteries.
A Memorial Day program will start at 11 a.m. at Sportsman’s Park.
Haugen
The Haugen American Legion Post 540 will be holding Memorial Day events on Monday.
The Honor Guard will appear at the Haugen cemeteries — Bohemian National Cemetery and Holy Trinity Cemetery — at 10 a.m. The chaplain will give a short reading, the firing squad will give a salute and “Taps” will play.
The American Legion also will hold rites at Swede Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. followed by Stanfold Cemetery at 11 a.m.
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