Willmar veterans will raise the Flags of Honor at 7 a.m. today on the east side of Willmar Lake.
Squads of veterans from the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and others will place flags on the graves of every veteran in the area.
On Memorial Day, the veterans will visit each cemetery where they will read the roll call, fire a rifle salute and play taps.
About 1,565 flags will be put on veterans’ graves.
The schedules for the routes are as follows:
Willmar route
Vinje 7:45 a.m., Bethel 8, St. Mary’s 8:15, Calvary 8:30, Homewood Park 8:45 a.m., flags of honor site 9 a.m.
Northwest route
St. John’s 7:30 a.m., Salem Covenant 7:45, Mamre 8, Lundby 8:15, Church of God 8:30, Nannestad 8:40, Lake Florida 9:05 and Solomon Lake 9:15 a.m.
Northeast route
Long Lake 7:20 a.m., Eagle Lake 7:35, State Hospital 7:45, Cloverleaf 8:05, Tripolis 8:30, Oak Park 8:40, Oakwood 8:50, Svea 9:15 a.m.
On Monday, the observance and program is at 11 a.m. at Fairview Cemetery in Willmar.
Auxiliary members and others will gather near the cemetery chapel at 10:30 a.m. to walk as a group to the observance to honor fallen comrades. Everyone is welcome to set up their lawn chairs and then join them for the short walk.
Tim Duscher, the American Legion Commander, will give the welcome. The Rev. Steve Verhelst of the Church of St. Mary will give both the invocation and benediction.
There will be an introduction of Gold Star parents and other special guests.
The program includes the presentation of General Logan’s orders by Brandon Sebey and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address by Matthew Smith.
The memorial address will be given by Jim Felt, Willmar Police Sergeant.
There will be a silent tribute to the unknown soldiers and a wreath will be placed in honor of them.
“In Flanders Field” will be read by Ahmed Siddiqui, followed by the reading of the roll call of deceased veterans for the past year.
A recording of the national anthem will be played, there will be a flag-raising ceremony, and Willmar Air Service will drop poppies and forget-me-nots over the lake in tribute to the veterans buried at sea and overseas.
The Veterans Central Council honor guard will provide the rifle salute, followed by Del Schueller playing taps. In case of bad weather, the program will be held at the Willmar City Auditorium.
The flags of honor will be taken down at 5 p.m. Monday and the veterans will return to the cemeteries to remove the flags, weather permitting.
Families of deceased veterans in the Willmar area are reminded that extra flags and star markers for veterans’ graves are available.
If a veteran’s grave does not have a flag, one can be obtained in front of the chapel at Fairview and in front of the building at Cloverleaf. There will be some at the Willmar Legion if needed at other cemeteries.
Area Memorial Day programs
Appleton: The Memorial Day program will begin at 9 a.m. Monday at the Appleton Cemetery Memorial Mall. Maj. R.A. Huckle will give the address.
Atwater: The Memorial Day program will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Atwater Community Center. The speaker is Scoutmaster Jeff Warszynski.
Benson: The Memorial Day parade will begin at 10 a.m. Monday in front of the junior high auditorium and end at the cemetery. A program at the cemetery will follow the parade.
Bird Island: The Memorial Day program will begin at 8:45 a.m. at the BOLD school in Bird Island. Cpl. Derek Schultz will give the address.
Blomkest: Blomkest Baptist Church will have a short program at noon Sunday at the church cemetery followed by a program at 12:15 p.m. at Evergreen Cemetery. Special guest will be Matt Rosen, an active Minnesota Army National Guard recruiter.
Brooten: The Memorial Day program will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Legion Park. Kathy Terpstra will give the address.
Clara City: The Memorial Day program will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the MACCRAY Senior High. Tim Kolhei, Chippewa County Veterans Service Officer, will give the address.
Clarkfield: The Memorial Day program will be at 9 a.m. Monday in the Clarkfield School. Kelly Wasberg will give the address. It will be followed by a ceremony at the Clarkfield City Cemetery.
Clontarf: The Memorial Day program will be at 8 a.m. at St. Malachy’s cemetery followed by coffee and rolls.
Cosmos: The Memorial Day program will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the American Legion. The speaker will be Richard Wog; potluck dinner to follow.
Danube: The Memorial Day program will be at 9 a.m. Monday at the Danube school auditorium. The address will be given by Gerald Seehusen.
Darwin: The Memorial Day program will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Hantge Funeral Chapel. Retired Minnesota Army National Guard Cpt. Patrick Hansen will give the address.
Dawson: The Memorial Day parade will form at the city library at 10 a.m. Monday and go to the Dawson Cemetery for the 11 a.m. program. The address will be given by the Rev. Bruce Rodrick.
Forest City: The Memorial Day observance will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Forest City War Memorial Park. Gary Smith will give the address.
Glenwood: The Memorial Day program will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Central Square auditorium.
Granite Falls: A Memorial Day program will be at 11:15 a.m. Monday at the Veterans Park next to City Hall. Dorian Gatchell will give the address.
Grove City: A Memorial Day program will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church; lunch to follow, freewill donation.
Hanley Falls: The Memorial Day program will be at 9:15 a.m. Monday at Yellow Medicine Lutheran Church. David Velde will give the address.
Kandiyohi: Memorial Day events will begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday at Tripolis Lutheran Church, south of Kandiyohi.
Kerkhoven: Memorial Day will start with a traditional breakfast from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Legion hall.
Litchfield: Memorial Day observances will begin with a service at 8 a.m. Monday at Calvary Cemetery. The parade will begin at 9 a.m. at Central Park and march to South Park. The program will be at 10 a.m. at Ripley Cemetery with Bruce Cottington giving the address.
Madison: The Memorial Day program will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the cemetery followed by a dinner at the VFW. U.S. Air Force Col. Douglas Hagen will give the address.
Maynard: The Memorial Day program will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Maynard Event Center. American Legion Area B Vice Commander Thomas Andersen will give the address. Roll call and placing of flags will be at the Lutheran Cemetery following the service, with a potluck dinner to follow back at the Event Center.
Milan: The Memorial Day program will be at 10 a.m. at the Milan Community Center gym. It will be followed by short programs at Kviteseid Lutheran/Milan Methodist Cemetery and Big Bend Lutheran Cemetery.
Montevideo: The Memorial Day program will be at 11 a.m. at Sunset Memorial Cemetery. Sgt. Major Erik Arne will be the speaker.
New London: American Legion members will visit area cemeteries beginning at 8 a.m. Monday. There will be a program at 11:30 a.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Wayne Kopitzke giving the address.
Olivia: The Memorial Day program will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the National Guard Armory. The Rev. Russ Jacobsen will give the address.
Paynesville: The Memorial Day program will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Paynesville school auditorium. Larry Tillemans will give the address. A dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the American Legion.
Raymond: The Memorial Day parade will begin at 9 a.m. Monday at the school and proceed to Fairview Cemetery for the program with the Rev. John Bothof giving the address. The parade will reassemble and proceed to St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery for another program with the address given by the Rev. Joyce Graue.
Renville: The Memorial Day program will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Community Center.
Sacred Heart: The Memorial Day program will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Sacred Heart School. Cmdr. Kelly Skalbeck will give the address
Spicer: American Legion members will visit area cemeteries beginning at 7:45 a.m. Monday. A lakeside service for veterans buried overseas will be at 9:45 a.m. in downtown Spicer.
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