Hayden to host two ceremonies Monday

HAYDEN — The city of Hayden will hold two Memorial Day ceremonies on Monday.

The first ceremony will begin at Honeysuckle Beach with the laying of a memorial wreath and tolling of the boats honoring the service men and women lost at sea. This ceremony will include a prayer, rifle salute and taps.

The main ceremony will be at 11 a.m. at the PFC Robert J. Gordon Veterans Memorial Plaza at Hayden City Hall. It will include: presentation of colors by the U.S. Submarine Veterans, the national anthem sung by Hayden Veterans Commission Vice Chair Dave Sheldon, placement of a memorial wreath, welcome by Mayor Steve Griffitts, the reading of new pavers, Memorial Day address by Robert Dale Stamper, a bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace" and a rifle salute. The ceremony will conclude with taps and the retiring of colors.

The Memorial Day address will be given by Stamper, Real Life Ministries pastor and Vietnam veteran. Stamper enlisted in the Army straight from high school and went to Fort Ord, Calif., for basic training then to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for advanced individual training as a heavy equipment mechanic.

After AIT, he went to Vietnam as a replacement with the 15th Engineers Battalion Ninth Infantry Division. Later he was assigned to C Company with the 15th.

Stamper was injured on Jan. 6, 1968, and lost his sight as a result of his injuries from a landmine. Shortly after returning home he went to the Pentecostal Church of God Bible College at Livermore, Calif., and eventually into the ministry. His first position was as a youth pastor in Pierce, Idaho. He has traveled all over the country serving as a pastor, including Idaho, Hawaii, Oklahoma and Montana. It was on a short-term missions trip in the Philippines where he met his wife, Cora.

For the past 15 years, Stamper has been very active with veterans service organizations. From 2010-2012 he served as the Chapter Commander DAV Fort Sherman 9. In 2012 he was the convention chairman when the local Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) regional group hosted the annual national convention in Spokane. He has been on the national board of directors for the BVA for the past 10 years and is currently the BVA national president.

Government Way will be closed from Orchard Avenue to Honeysuckle Avenue from 10:45 a.m. to noon during the main ceremony.