Ceremonies, parades on tap to honor the fallen
May 24, 2012 3:52PM
Several area towns will hold events over the holiday weekend to commemorate Memorial Day. | File photo
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Updated: July 3, 2012 8:42AM
Several area events are planned to commemorate Memorial Day on Monday:
Abraham Lincoln
National Cemetery
A memorial program will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
The keynote speaker will be Glenn Powers, deputy under secretary for field programs with the National Cemetery Administration.
Bolingbrook
The Bolingbrook American Legion Post 1288 will host memorial ceremonies Monday.
One will take place at 9 a.m. at Boardman Cemetery on Paxson Drive, and another at 11 a.m. at the Village Veterans Memorial, 357 Briarcliff Road.
A third ceremony is possible at 9:45 a.m. at Hillcrest Cemetery.
The Bolingbrook Grey Core and Lions Club will host a Memorial Day carnival through Monday.
The carnival will be at Bolingbrook Village Hall, 375 W. Briarcliff Road, 1-11 p.m. Friday through Sunday; and 1-10 p.m. Monday.
Braidwood
The Braidwood American Legion Post #39 will hold a Memorial Day program at 9 a.m. at the Reed Township Veteran Memorial, across from Braidwood City Hall.
The program’s speakers will include Braidwood Mayor Bill Rulien, U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, state Sen. Sue Rezin and Will County Executive Larry Walsh.
Channahon
The Channahon Community Events Council will sponsor a Memorial Day ceremony at 9 a.m. Monday at the Channahon Municipal Center, 24555 S. Navajo Drive.
Crest Hill
The city of Crest Hill will hold the 24th annual Memorial Day ceremony at 1 p.m. Monday at the Veterans and Police Memorial Garden, 1610 Plainfield Road. Crest Hill resident and U.S. Army veteran John Lukancic will be speaker.
Elwood
A confederate Memorial Day Service will be at noon Monday at Maple Hill Cemetery in Elwood.
The service will include the VFW and their salute accompanied by a bugle boy. There will be a first-person presentation by Walt Homan, a U.S. Navy veteran who has studied Civil War history for 50 years.
Maple Hill cemetery is on Mississippi Avenue, about a mile outside of town.
Joliet
The Joliet Combined KSKJ Lodges will take part in the American Fraternal Alliance’s Join Hands Day project on Saturday. The group will place more than 1,000 U.S. flags, provided by an anonymous donor, at St. Joseph’s and St. Mary Nativity’s cemeteries.
Volunteers will start at 9 a.m. at St. Joseph Cemetery, on Raynor Avenue, and at 10 a.m. at St. Mary Nativity, on Caton Farm Road in Crest Hill.
Anyone may help place flags. Reservations are not needed but are encouraged. Send email to jolietkskjlodges@gmail.com.
For more information, visit
www.jolietkskjlodges.info.
Lockport
A Memorial Day parade will step off at 10 a.m. Monday from St. Dennis school and end at Lockport City Hall.
The parade will follow a route that heads north on Washington Street to 10th Street; west on 10th Street to State Street; north on State Street to Eighth Street; and east on Eighth to City Hall.
In case of rain, the alternate location is at Lockport Township High School Central’s gymnasium.
The parade is sponsored by the city of Lockport, Lockport Township Fire District, VFW, American Legion, Knights of Columbus, and the Lockport Moose.
Manhattan
The Manhattan American Legion Post 935 has issued an invitation to the communities of Manhattan, Elwood and Wilton Center to attend and participate Monday in its annual Memorial Day services.
Services will be at 8:30 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery in Elwood, 8:50 a.m. at Brown Cemetery in Elwood, 9:15 a.m. at North Providence Ridge Cemetery in Elwood, 9:40 a.m. at St. Joseph Cemetery in Manhattan, 10 a.m. at Memorial Stone, 230 S. State St. in Manhattan, 10:35 a.m. at Manhattan Center Cemetery, 11 a.m. at Wilton Center Cemetery and 11 a.m. at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Wilton Center.
Minooka
A Memorial Day parade sponsored by the Minooka American Legion 1188 will step off at 10 a.m. at the Minooka Bible Church.
The parade will follow a route through downtown Minooka to Veterans’ Park at Mondamin and Wabena streets.
A ceremony including prayers, songs, speakers, laying of wreaths and a gun salute, will follow the parade.
Morris
On Monday, the annual parade and courthouse ceremony will be held.
Also, grave flags are being provided to families of departed veterans by the Morris Color Guard, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The are available at the American Legion Post 294 and VFW Post 6049.
Plainfield
A Memorial Day parade will step off at 10:30 a.m. Monday from Plainfield Central High School, and will follow a route north on James Street to Lockport Street; west on Lockport Street to Village Center Drive; south on Village Center Drive through Settler’s Park to the soldiers’ monument; and will return to Plainfield Central High School after the ceremony.
Romeoville
A Memorial Day ceremony will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Edward “Doc” McCartan Veteran’s Memorial, 11 Montrose Drive.
Mayor John Noak will attend. U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski and Dan Moffett from the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Memorial Squad will speak. Also Romeoville HS ROTC and band, Firefighters Highland guard of Naperville pipes and drum band, local organizations will present wreaths.
Wilmington
A Memorial Day parade will step off at noon Monday on Water Street in downtown Wilmington, ending at Memorial Park.
A ceremony will take place at 12:30 p.m. at the park, including performances by a community band and Larry Crawford of Joliet.
The events are organized by Wilmington American Legion Wilmington Post 191 and Wilmington VFW Post 5422.
