Northeast Ohio communities planning Memorial Day events
May 21—The following are some of the Memorial Day events planned in The News-Herald's coverage area. The events will take place May 29 unless otherwise indicated.
Lake County
—Eastlake will be hosting a service at 11 a.m. at the Boulevard of 500 Flags, located at 35150 Lakeshore Blvd.
—Fairport Harbor's observances begin at 8:30 a.m., with a program conducted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7754 on the pier, northwest of the north end of Water Street. At 9 a.m., VFW Post representatives will arrive at Memorial Park, located on Third Street between Eagle and Plum streets, and preside over a brief program in the park.
Then, there will be a bike and golf cart parade from Memorial Park to Zion Lutheran Cemetery, 550 East St., for a 9:30 a.m. ceremony. The post will raise the colors, and the Fairport Harding High School Band will play the national anthem.
—Kirtland will host a parade and ceremony at 11 a.m. in conjunction with Barber-Williams American Legion Post 609. The parade will march from Kirtland High School, 9150 Chillicothe Road, to City Hall, 9301 Chillicothe Road. A service will follow at the adjacent Kirtland Area Veterans Memorial.
—The members of American Legion Posts 112 and 601 and VFW Post 8548 will have services at all Madison cemeteries followed by a parade. Memorial services will be at 7:20 a.m. at Thompson Cemetery, 7:40 at South Madison Cemetery, 7:45 at Route 84 Cemetery, 8 at Fairview Cemetery, 8:15 at Route 20 Cemetery, 8:25 at Madison High School, 8:45 at Arcola Cemetery, 9 at Dock Road Cemetery, 9:10 at Middle Ridge Cemetery, 9:20 at Madison Township Park and 9:40 at North Madison Cemetery.
A parade will follow at 10:55 a.m. It will start at South Elementary School and head to Madison Village Park. Guest speaker will be retired USMC Brig. Gen. Pete Collins. Following the services, there will be the laying of the wreaths and a rifle salute.
—Mentor hosts its annual ceremony at 9:45 a.m. at the Mentor Municipal Cemetery located at 6881 Hopkins Road. The ceremony will be preceded by a solemn parade which will step-off at 9:20 a.m. from Memorial Middle School, 8979 Mentor Ave., and then proceed north to the cemetery.
Members of city council and administration, county and state elected officials, and other civic groups including AMVETS Post 40 and VFW Post 9295 will be in attendance.
The keynote address will be given by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. He is a decorated combat veteran with over a decade of service in uniform and is currently a sergeant first class in the US Army Reserve Special Forces.
The ceremony, typically held at the southern end of the cemetery, will now take place on the new Memorial Promenade located near the administration building which will be formally dedicated with a ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m.
—Mentor-on-the-Lake is not sponsoring any events but AMVETS Post 109 is having a Memorial Day weekend parade on May 28. The parade will start at 1 p.m. at City Hall, 5860 Andrews Road, and end at the AMVETS Post 109, 7847 Lakeshore Blvd. The AMVETS commander, Ted Makse, is organizing the parade.
—The city of Painesville will host a parade and ceremony in conjunction with American Legion Post 336. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Riverside Cemetery, 385 Riverside Drive, and march to Evergreen Cemetery, 501 E. Main St. After the parade, the American Legion will conduct a service at Evergreen Cemetery.
—Perry area activities will take place at several times and locations. An initial program will be held at 9 a.m. in North Perry Village at Townline Park. Next, there will be a ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at Perry Cemetery on Center Road in Perry Township. Then at 11 a.m., the parade in Perry Village steps off at Harper Street, and marches along Main Street to the Perry Historical Museum. Finally, at 11:40 a.m., there will be a veterans recognition ceremony outside the museum.
—Wickliffe's event starts with a parade organized by American Legion Post 7, beginning at 10 a.m. running along Euclid Avenue from Worden Road and travelling west to Bishop Road, turning left onto Bishop Road travelling to Ridge Road and ending at City Hall. A ceremony will then take place on the front steps. Following the ceremony there will be food trucks available.
—The public is invited to join the American Legion Post #214 and Willoughby to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the military. The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. at Erie Street and Third Street and proceeds to Euclid Avenue then turns on Park Avenue, then Murray Avenue and finishes in the cemetery for the ceremony.
At 11 a.m., a second ceremony will take place at Willoughby Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Lakeshore Boulevard.
Willoughby Hills will hold a full memorial ceremony, including the annual gun salute by VFW Post 4358, at 11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial, 35400 Chardon Road. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Community Center. An open House at the VFW Post, 29412 White Road, will take place immediately following the ceremony.
Cuyahoga County
—Euclid will start its events at 7:45 a.m. with a graveside service led by Euclid Joint Veterans Council at Euclid Cemetery, 20239 Concordia St., the city's oldest cemetery. The parade featuring over 30 community groups will be starting off at 10 a.m. and go from Lakeshore Boulevard near Sims Park to Euclid City Hall on E. 222nd St.
—Mayfield Heights will hold a service at 10 a.m. in the City Hall East Parking lot located at 6154 Mayfield Road. The event's keynote speaker will be Tim Coffey, a combat airborne corporal of the 20th Engineer Brigade.
—Mayfield Village and Whitehaven Memorial Park will be putting on their annual veteran flag event for the 34th year. Starting at 1 p.m. May 28, the event will feature live music and flag presentations to veterans from various military branches at the park, 615 SOM Center Road.
Geauga County
—Auburn Township will honor fallen veterans beginning at 8:30 a.m. on May 28 with a wreath-laying service at Maple Shade Cemetery and followed by an invocation by County Chaplain George Petrick.
The ceremony will move to the Adam Hall Community Center at 9 a.m. where Pastor Ron Miller of New Hope Christian Fellowship will offer prayers and conduct a reading of names. Bagpipe music will play as attendees reconvene at Shadyside Cemetery around 10 a.m.
With a color guard at the site, "The Star-Spangled Banner" will be performed by Kenston High School senior Lily Tatara. Auburn Boy Scout Troop 101 5 will conduct the lowering and folding of the American flag before the raising of POW/MIA flags. "Amazing Grace" will then be performed by bagpiper Bruce Greig.
Attendees are invited to gather at the Auburn Museum after the ceremonies.
—Bainbridge Township will remember and honor veterans on May 28 with a parade and service beginning at Bainbridge Commons at 11:15 a.m. Attendees will proceed to Restland Cemetery where retired Ohio National Guard Lt. Col. William O'Neill will speak.
Additional participants will include members of the Aurora American Legion Post 803, Mantua American Legion Post 193, the Bainbridge Township trustees, the Bainbridge Police and Fire departments, the Bainbridge Civic Club and area Boy and Girl Scouts.
—Chardon Veterans of Foreign War Post 6519 will be holding a ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. at Chardon Municipal Cemetery located at 201 Park Ave.
—Claridon Township's parade and honoring will begin at 9 a.m., led by the Berkshire Junior High School Marching Band from Arm's Trucking at 14818 Mayfield Road to the East Claridon Cemetery at 12545 Old State Road.
After the service, a gathering will take place at Claridon Center Cemetery at 13932 Mayfield Road.
Families are encouraged to get involved by patriotically decorating bikes and/or golf carts. Each service will allow the placement of geraniums at grave sites after names are called.
—Middlefield Village's parade will begin at noon at Village Hall, 14860 N. State Ave., and end at the Middlefield Cemetery on East High Street, state Route 87, just east of Thompson Avenue.
Children are invited to participate in the parade and can decorate a bike, scooter, wagon, etc., to ride. Those wishing to participate are asked to arrive at the hall at 11:30 a.m.
All participants will receive an ice cream treat.
—The Montville Firefighter's Association will host a pancake breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., and again after a cemetery program until 11:30 a.m., at Montville Community Center, 9755 Madison Road.
The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children 5-12 years,and free for military/veterans in uniform.
—In Munson Township, there will be a service at 8:30 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery, 13480 Auburn Road. The speaker will be Brigadier General James R. Parry.
