Memorial Day is a day to honor the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, dying while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day.
On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. In 1971, Memorial Day became an official federal holiday.
The Crookston Veterans Council (which includes the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, DAV and DAV Auxiliary, VFW Post, and VFW Auxiliary) would like to invite Crookston area residents to join them in the remembrance of our nation’s fallen heroes.
Because of COVID, there will only be one program this year with the 10:00 a.m. ceremony at the Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston, along with the flag-raising at the entrance following the ceremony. “We decided we are going to do this slowly and do one ceremony at Oakdale this year. We have shortened it up to make people more comfortable,” said Jamie Casavant of the Crookston Veterans Council. “It is basically going to be the same, and we will be down in the same area. We won’t have music or a special speaker. We will be doing just the ceremony with the flowers and the wreaths.”
The service will have a special remembrance of World War II Veterans Bernie Lieder and Curtis Hendrickson. The Presiding Commander is Paula Lundgren who will also do the Pledge of Allegiance, the Chaplain is Bill Cassavant, In-Flanders Fields will be don by Margee Keller, the Reply to Flanders Fields will be made by Charles Reynolds, and the Invocation by Reverend Jeff Brown of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
Even though there won’t be a ceremony at the other locations, the Veterans Council will be placing a Memorial flag and flowers at the Villa, Sand Hill Cemetary, Hafslo Cemetary, Gentilly, the Memorial Walkway, and Sampson Bridge. “We are still placing flowers and a flag there, so we’re not forgetting about them,” said Casavant. “We can’t use the school bus, so we have to figure out how to get all the people to where they need to go at the same time.”
Casavant added, “Make sure to take some time out on Memorial Day to honor our Veterans and their families. Thank them for their service, and we want to be able to move forward next year. We just wanted to start out slowly this year.”
KROX will broadcast the Oakdale Cemetery Memorial Day service live on the radio.
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