Memorial Day in Kewaunee County: Here’s your guide to ceremonies honoring our veterans
KEWAUNEE COUNTY – After cancellations and changes last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Memorial Day ceremonies to recognize and honor military veterans who have died are taking place across Kewaunee County on Monday.
The pandemic, and concerns for large gatherings of people, especially older veterans and vets with health issues, means some of the ceremonies will continue to be different from usual this year. For example, the traditional parade and special program at the War Memorial in Kewaunee aren't taking place for a second straight year, and veterans and the public are asked to socially distance themselves from others as much as possible and make themselves feel safe when attending.
However, ceremonies are planned Sunday and Monday by the county's American Legion posts to commemorate the holiday that was first celebrated in 1868, and the public is invited to attend them. Here's a list of some of those special events in Kewaunee County.
Kewaunee
Although not able to hold the usual parade and program, American Legion Post 29 of Kewaunee will memorialize its deceased veterans with events at the city's cemeteries.
American flags were placed at each deceased veteran’s grave in Riverview Public Cemetery and Holy Rosary Church Cemetery during the preceding week.
Then on Monday, veterans and the public will gather at 10 a.m. at Riverview, 1003 Miller St., for a reading of names of the veterans buried there, with a rifle salute and playing of "Taps." Afterward, the same ceremony will be held at Holy Rosary, 519 Kilbourn St.; that is expected to begin around 10:30 a.m.
Algoma
Memorial Day observances sponsored by Ernest Haucke American Legion Post 236 of Algoma will mostly be back to normal this year, with the parade and Legion Park ceremony back on schedule after a year's absence. Post Commander Tracy Steiner noted all events are held outside, offering plenty of room for social distancing among attendees.
The day starts with post members and the Algoma Honor Guard heading out from Legion Hall at 6:45 a.m. to visit seven local cemeteries. At the cemeteries, there will be a prayer, a reading of names highlighting veterans interred there, a gun salute and the playing of "Taps." The public is welcome to follow the veterans as they move from cemetery to cemetery.
St. Paul Cemetery on Wolf River Drive; St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery on Church Street; Tweedale Cemetery, which is on private property on Lake Street but houses four Civil War veterans; Wiesner Cemetery, at Eighth Road and County D; St. Mary's Church of Alaska, south of the city at County D and State 42; St. John's Lutheran at State 54 and County D in Rankin; and Evergreen Cemetery, 6067 State 54 (Jefferson Street).
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Then, starting at 10 a.m., the Honor Guard will lead a parade through downtown from City Hall, 416 Fremont St., to Legion Park, 613 Second St.
Once at the park (about 11 a.m.), the public can join in a ceremony that features the introduction of this year’s Legion Poppy Process, Meadow Klimek; patriotic music played by the Algoma High School Band; and speeches by Mayor Wayne Schmidt, Post 236 Commander Tracy Steiner and Legion scholarship recipient David Ibarra, a senior at Algoma High School.
The ceremony will conclude with another gun salute and playing of "Taps." The Algoma Fire Department also will be on hand and a bake sale will be held.
Luxemburg
The traditional reception for veterans with a light lunch and refreshments at the Luxemburg Community Center won't take place for a second straight year, but the ceremony at the Veteran's Memorial at the Bank of Luxemburg is back on the Memorial Day schedule for American Legion Ralph Kline Post 262 of Luxemburg.
Celebrations around the village of the memories of the veterans starts Sunday with a special service at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, south of Luxemburg on County AB. The service will include a rifle salute and playing of "Taps."
Monday remembrances open with two squads of Legion members visiting a total of 15 cemeteries at five- to 15-minute intervals, starting at 6:45 a.m., for ceremonies consisting of a short prayer, a volley firing and the sounding of "Taps." One squad will visit St. Thomas the Apostle in Sugar Bush, St. Mary's in Humboldt, St. Killian in New Franken, St. Joseph in Pilsen, St. Paul in Ellisville and St. Mary's in Luxemburg.
The other squad will visit St. John in Luxemburg, St. Odile in Thiry Daems, St. Francis de Paul in Duvall, St. Louis in Dyckesville, Robinson Presbyterian in Champion, St. Joseph's in Champion, St. Martin's in Tonet, St. Amand in Walhain and French Spiritualist in Walhain.
Once the cemetery visits are concluded, a short church service will be held at 9 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church.
At 10 a.m. a brief ceremony will be held at the bank, 630 Main St. A wreath will be presented to honor all veterans, followed by a rifle salute and "Taps."
Carlton
Robinson American Legion Post 538 of Carlton will honor veterans at rest in nine rural cemeteries from 8:30 to about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, as it has done for several years. The ceremony at each cemetery will have a a roll call of the veterans interred in each, a bell ringing after each name, and the sounding of "Taps."
The cemetery visits start at St. John Nepomucene Cemetery in the Town of Krok, then proceed to St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery and Volunteer Cemetery, both in Carlton, at about 9 and 9:15 a.m. respectively; St. Hedwig's Catholic Cemetery in East Krok (9:30 a.m.); West Kewaunee United Methodist Church (9:45 a.m.); St Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Norman (Town of Carlton, 10 a.m.); Forest Hill Cemetery in Carlton (10:30 a.m.); Franklin Norwegian Cemetery on County AB north of Tisch Mills (11 a.m.); and St. Isidore the Farmer Catholic Cemetery, on Tisch Mills Road in Denmark (11:30 a.m.).
Also, members of Post 538 will take part in the annual Memorial Day parade at noon Monday in Mishicot.
Casco
Casco American Legion Post 319 will visit six local cemeteries to commemorate the veterans at rest in them, then hold a church service and a brief ceremony at Village Hall.
At the cemeteries, the names of the veterans buried there will be read, followed by a gun salute and the playing of "Taps."
The cemetery visits will be at 7:30 a.m. at St. Adalbert Catholic Cemetery in Slovan; 7:50 a.m. at West Slovan Cemetery; 8:15 a.m. at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Casco; 9 a.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery in Lincoln; 9:20 a.m. at Brethren Cemetery; and 9:45 a.m. at St. Hubert's Catholic Cemetery in Rosiere.
St. Hubert's then will hold a memorial service at about 10:15 a.m. At 11 a.m., a memorial wreath will be laid at Village Hall, 311 Church Ave., with another gun salute and sounding of "Taps."
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Memorial Day in Kewaunee County: Here's your guide to ceremonies honoring our veterans