A Day of Remembrance

Monday, May 30, 2022

Memorial Day has been celebrated since the Civil War, but it wasn’t until 1971 that it was established as a federal holiday held on the last Monday of May in honor of those who have given their lives in service.

Oh yes, we crown this day too, as the grand opening for BBQ’s, summer vacation planning, fun activities, food and plenty of hot dogs, spare ribs, potato salad and family gatherings. But it is also a day of remembrance. A day to remind every American, the importance of the sacrifices our military make for us every day. Remember their sacrifices, honor the deceased and celebrate them with joy as well.

The VFW proudly announces the following Memorial Day events to commemorate the men and women who have fallen in action:

·      Memorial Day Parade: begins at 10:00am down Main Street in Gaylord. Those who would like to march in the parade need to form up in the parking lot by Subway on Main Street at 9:30am. Special features, again, this year will be a 20’x30’ American Flag respectfully carried down street by Community members and then ceremoniously folded in front of the Memorial by VFW members. There will also be over 200 flags carried by members of the community.

·      VFW Memorial Day Ceremony: at approximately 11:00am, in front of the Otsego County Veterans Memorial, corner of Main Street and South Court Avenue, following the parade. There will a special guest speaker from Camp Grayling and numerous wreath presentations will be made by local organizations.

·       President Bill Clinton established 3:00pm local time as a National  Moment of Remembrance to be observed in silence each Memorial Day. Take the time to pray in silence for all those who have sacrificed much for us.

·      This is a National Day of Mourning and it is traditional to fly our American flag at half-mast.

·      Visit any of the 12 local cemeteries and say a prayer of thanksgiving at the grave of a Veteran. The VFW will have placed over 1700 American flags at the graves of our Veterans in all of these cemeteries to acknowledge their sacrifice and to pay them due respect and honor.

Come and be a part of this special day of Remembrance in honor and memory of our many loved ones who have put themselves in harm’s way for our freedoms.