Memorial Day ceremonies planned in four communities
Ceremonies planned in four communities Several Memorial Day observances are scheduled in area communities next week, including Prairie du Chien, McGregor, Wauzeka and Bloomington-Glen Haven.
Prairie du Chien
The annual Memorial Day parade will kick off Prairie du Chien’s observance of the holiday on Monday, May 30, at 10:30 a.m. The marching units will proceed from the intersection of Blackhawk Avenue and Michigan Street to Beaumont Road and then south to the Fort Crawford Military Cemetery.
All marching units, including the honor guard, Legionnaires, VFW members and all ex-servicemen, Legion and VFW Auxiliaries, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, patriotic organizations, school children carrying flowers and flags, Bluff View School band and the Prairie du Chien High School band are requested to assemble at the FirstMerit Bank parking lot no later than 10:15 a.m. Monday.
The Memorial Day program at the cemetery will begin about 10:45 a.m. Pastor Andy Doll, of the Bible Baptist Church, will give the invocation. The Boy Scouts will conduct the flag raising ceremony, followed by the National Anthem performed by the Prairie du Chien High School band. The local Girl Scouts will say the Pledge of Allegiance. Hunter Domeier, of Troop 520, will read the Gettysburg Address. The band will then play musical selections while the Girl Scouts place flowers on the graves. Then, Bree Doll, of Cadet Troop 1081, will read “In Flanders Field.” Tony Kurtz, retired chief warrant officer 4, will give this year’s Memorial Day address. The program will close with a rifle salute and playing of taps, by the Prairie du Chien Honor Guard, as well as the closing prayer from Pastor Doll.
In the event of inclement weather, the Memorial Day program will take place at Bluff View School.
After the program, the PdC Honor Guard will visit all cemeteries, the veterans memorials at the courthouse and the PdC Veterans Memorial by the Old Rock School.
McGregor
McGregor will hold its annual Memorial Day activities on Monday, May 30. Veterans will meet at the Legion Hall at 9 a.m., then travel to St. Mary’s Cemetery for a 9:30 a.m. service. The parade, traveling from the middle school to the riverfront, will begin at 10 a.m. Following the parade, at 10:30 a.m., a service will be held at the riverfront. A program will then be held at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, beginning at 11 a.m.
Veterans will also be busy the days before and after the activities. Veterans’ graves at the cemeteries will be decorated Thursday, May 26, and flags will be put up along McGregor’s Main Street on Friday, May 27, at 4:30 p.m. The avenue of flags at Pleasant Grove Cemetery will be put up at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 28.
On Tuesday, May 31, the flags at the cemeteries will be picked up, beginning at 1 p.m.
From Saturday through Monday of Memorial Day weekend, people can also stop by the Legion’s beer and brats stand at the Spring Arts and Crafts Festival in McGregor.
Wauzeka
Wauzeka will observe Memorial Day with two days of events. On Sunday, May 29, the community will host its annual Ecumenical Luminary Candle Lighting Service at the Wauzeka Cemetery at 8 p.m. On Monday, May 30, at 9:30 a.m., the Memorial Day parade will start the day on Main Street. Line-up begins at 9 a.m. at the Village Park. Interested participants may march or place a float in the parade if they wish. The Wauzeka Legion’s Memorial Day program will follow in the Doll Gym. A chicken dinner, hosted by the Wauzeka Lions Club, will then take place at the park. Ball games will also take place all weekend.
Bloomington-Glen Haven
The Bloomington-Glen Haven American Legion Memorial Day ceremonies will be observed Monday, May 30. All veterans, civic groups and children are urged to participate.
The morning will begin with outlying cemetery services: 8 a.m., Blakes Prairie; 8:15 a.m., Lumpkin; 8:30 a.m., Scott; 8:45 a.m., Gockel; 9 a.m., Glen Haven levee; 10 a.m., Ramsey; 10:45 a.m., Dodge; 11 a.m. Providence.
Then, at 11:30 a.m., the American Legion will lead the parade from the Bloomington firehouse through Main Street and into the Bloomington cemetery.
The River Ridge band will perform at the Glen Haven levee and at the Bloomington cemetery.
A picnic lunch for all veterans and their families will be held at the Bloomington Community Park following the ceremonies. If there is inclement weather, the picnic will be held in the Legion Hall.