Honoring sacrifice on Memorial Day
As we head into the first three-day weekend of the upcoming summer season, it’s good to remember why Memorial Day is observed. In 1868, it was known as Decoration Day, a day to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers. Now it commemorates American war dead through the generations.
This weekend, veterans, scouts and citizens will, with seemingly simple but meaningful acts, show their respect for those who have served and given their last full measure of devotion. They will clean cemeteries and headstones, they will place wreaths along with hundreds of flags on headstones. They will attend and participate in color, honor and rifle guards. They will salute and sing the anthem of America and offer quiet prayers of gratitude and silent tears. But most importantly, they will remember the sacrifice.
Take some time from the picnics and attend with your family one of many ceremonies being held in our communities on Monday.
At 9 a.m. Coeur d’Alene Veterans of Foreign Wars 889 will hold the Veterans Bell ringing and wreath ceremony in the veterans plaza at McEuen Park.
Post Falls American Legion Post 143 will conduct ceremonies at Evergreen Cemetery at 10 a.m., with Post Falls Veteran of the Year Harold Markiewicz speaking.
There will also be a 10 a.m. wreath laying ceremony at Honeysuckle Beach in Hayden Lake.
At 10 a.m., VFW Post 889 will preside over a ceremony at St. Thomas cemetery on East Sherman Avenue and at 11 a.m. at Forest Cemetery near the Civil War statue; VFW Post 889 Commander Bob Martin is the featured speaker.
The Coeur d’Alene Tribe hosts ceremonies at 11:45 a.m. on Monday at the Veterans Memorial in Plummer, at the trailhead of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.
The city of Hayden Veterans Council hosts its annual Memorial Day ceremony at City Hall at 11 a.m. with speaker Theresa Hart, Gold Star mother.
The city of Rathdrum and American Legion Post 154 host ceremonies at the Pinegrove Cemetery at noon. Len Crosby and John McClure are scheduled to speak.
At 2 p.m. Pappy Boyington Detachment 966 of the Marine Corps League’s ceremony will take place at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens on north Government Way. I have the privilege of speaking at that event. Semper Fi.
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... “that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” — Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address
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Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 27-29, at 7 p.m., Immaculate Conception Academy presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s "The Gondoliers" at The Jacklin Center in Post Falls. Tickets are available at the door or at the school, just $7. Info: 773-2312
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Happy birthday today to Lori Moreland, Paul Finman, Toni Schelske, Dick Haugen, Joyce Harwood, Kasey Short, Debbi Long, Brad Cederblom, Sara Houser, Justin Jaworski and Char Carstensen.
The same tomorrow to Matt Roetter (60!), Fairel Wideen, Jessica Lenz, Dorothy Montgomery, Kim Grout (40!) and Rob Brickett.
On Friday, Kenny Gabriel, Nancy Herold, Corey Wideen, Joe Gilliland and Greg Gilliland will celebrate.
Shirlee Wandrocke, Tyson Bell, Scott Shellman, Dane Dugan, Donnie Shuck, Melissa Feusier, Vance Ackley and Judy Padilla will blow out their candles on Saturday.
Louisa St John Durkin, Star Shewey, Tiffany Williams, Jeff Pryse, Butch Andrews, Donnie Shuck and Pehr Black have sunny Sunday birthdays.
Matt Weaver, Jenny Prince, Justin Curtis, Sheila Spears, Chloe Fleming, Chip Wideen and Becky Bridges will mark Memorial Day birthdays.
Cindy Wood, Roger Beaulieu, Diane Huber, Lindsay Cantrell, Peggy Suenkel, Meredith Close and Craig Singer are putting on their party hats on the last day of May.
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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.