Parade, other events lined up in Albany area for Memorial Day weekend

ALBANY – There are numerous stories about the origins of Memorial Day, which sprang from the desire to honor the fallen from the U.S. Civil War, and several cities claim to be the location of the first decorations of soldiers’ graves that evolved into the holiday.

Even this competition has a North-South element to it, with supporters claiming the earliest commemorations occurred in places from Columbus, Ga., to Columbus, Miss., which both lay claim to 1866. Above the Mason-Dixon Line, Boalsburg, Pa., also makes a claim, and the “Historic Boalsburg” website proclaims the township is the “Birthplace of Memorial Day.” Legend has it that three women decorated graves there in the fall of 1864.

What’s not in dispute is that a number of groups took it upon themselves to place flowers on the graves of soldiers from both sides of the conflict.

And in 1868, the leader of a group of former Union soldiers called for a day of remembrance on May 30 of that year as “Decoration Day.” A ceremony was held that year that included volunteers decorating the graves of the Civil War dead.

In 1966 Congress and President Lyndon Johnson stepped in to declare Waterloo, N.Y., the birthplace of Memorial Day, based on a May 1866 ceremony held there. Prior to that, the holiday was expanded to include the dead of from all of the nation's conflicts.

While the three-day Memorial Day weekend is often seen as the jumping-off point for summer and an opportunity for trips to the beach or outdoor grilling, several observances in southwest Georgia will mark the more somber aspects of the day.

At Andersonville National Cemetery, located about 17 miles northeast of Americus, flags will be placed on graves starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

On Sunday the annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held from 2-3:30 p.m., with Georgia Veterans of Foreign Wars State Commander Patsey Shcreiber, U.S. Navy (retired), as the speaker. Various organizations will present wreaths.

The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence band will perform beginning at 1:30 p.m.

On Monday the Knights of Columbus will hold a special mass beginning at 11 a.m.

In Albany, American Legion Post 512 will hold its Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m., with Albany Fire Chief Cedric Scott serving as speaker for the occasion.

“It gives us the chance to remember fully the ones we have lost, our battle buddies we have lost and just keep their legacy going,” post Commander Etris Smith said. “Memorial Day is a very big day. We reach out to their families."

The public is invited to attend the Post 512 ceremony.

At American Legion Post 30, the Monday program starts with a flag-raising ceremony at 7:45 a.m., followed by breakfast at 8 a.m. at the event open to veterans and their families.

Marilyn Fowler, president of Auxiliary Unit 30 will present remarks.

The ceremony also will include a poppy anchor decoration. Modeled on the ceremonies held with large anchors that are dipped with the poppies attached into the ocean, the local version will see a smaller anchor decorated with poppies to be ceremonially dipped from a dock at the Moose Lodge.

Originally started “to recognize men and women who lost their lives at sea, it’s now kind of being used to recognize everyone,” Fowler said. “The poppy is the memorial flower.”

The poppy, with its red color, symbolizes sacrifice, Fowler said.

“This is in memory of those that gave their all,” she said. “We use the poppy to let them know we don’t want to forget that sacrifice.”

Sylvester American Legion Post 335 will begin the day with a 9 a.m. memorial ceremony on Monday at Cobb Funeral Chapel in Moultrie.

At 10 a.m., the group's annual Memorial Day parade will kick off in downtown Sylvester.