Memorial Day events set today across North Olympic Peninsula

Published 12:01 am Monday, May 25, 2015

Memorial Day ceremonies are planned across the North Olympic Peninsula today.

Here is a sample.

PORT ANGELES

Memorial Day ceremony

PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Veterans Association will conduct a Memorial Day ceremony at Mount Angeles Memorial Park at 9:30 a.m.

The ceremony at 45 Monroe Road will honor deceased service members.

It will be at the flagpole in the Veterans Circle at the south end of the grounds.

Cemetery help

PORT ANGELES — Volunteers are needed to decorate Port Angeles-area cemeteries today.

Port Angeles Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1024 members will display U.S. flags on poles along the driveways at Ocean View Cemetery, 3127 W. 18th St., and Mount Angeles Memorial Park, 45 Monroe Road, beginning at 7 a.m. today.

Volunteers are needed to help put up the flagpoles and then return at 4 p.m. to take them down.

On Saturday, members of the post and volunteers decorated graves of deceased service members.

Anyone interested in helping can call Dale Koelling at 360-477-5686 or 360-477-5687.

Captain Joseph House

PORT ANGELES — Betsy Reed Schultz, founder of the Captain Joseph House Foundation, will reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day during an observance at the Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts at noon.

The event will be on the main stage at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St.

A memorial service was conducted at Captain Joseph House, 1108 S. Oak St., on Sunday.

Schultz, whose son, Joseph, was killed in Afghanistan, is turning her former bed-and-breakfast, The Tudor Inn, into a getaway for grieving families of fallen service members.

For information about Captain Joseph House, visit www.CaptainJosephHouseFoundation.org.

Veteran cuts

PORT ANGELES — To celebrate men and women service members who pledged their lives for their nation, Fringe Hair Studio, 902 E. First St., will offer free hair cuts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All who served in any branch of the armed forces are invited to have a free haircut.

If a cut is not needed, veterans are invited in to have a cup of coffee courtesy of Bella Rosa Coffee House and shake hands with fellow veterans.

SEQUIM/GARDINER

American Legion, VFW

SEQUIM — The Sequim American Legion Post 62 with VFW Post 4760 will conduct a Memorial Day ceremony at Sequim View Cemetery, 1505 Sequim-Dungeness Way, at 11 a.m.

American Legion members then will head to ceremonies at 11:30 a.m. at Jamestown S’Klallam Cemetery, at noon at Dungeness Cemetery and at 12:45 p.m. at Blue Mountain Cemetery.

The VFW will visit Pioneer Memorial Park at

11:30 a.m., Blyn Cemetery at noon and the Gardiner Community Center at 12:30 p.m.

PORT TOWNSEND

Wreaths, music

PORT TOWNSEND — Those who died in service to their country will be commemorated with visits to cemeteries, music and a ceremony capped by a traditional wreath-laying at City Dock.

Mayor David King will speak on “Honoring Memorial Day Every Day” during the Memorial Day ceremonies at noon at the Marvin G. Shields Memorial Post 26 of the American Legion, 209 Monroe St.

The public is invited to attend the ceremonies, which will be opened by Gary Lane, Post 26 commander.

Immediately before the ceremonies, at 11:30 a.m., the Port Townsend Summer Band will present a half-hour concert at the American Legion Hall at 209 Monroe St.

The 37-piece concert band will be led by Legion member Karl Bach.

A wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the City Dock, across from City Hall, at 1 p.m.

Following the ceremony, the Post 26 Auxiliary will provide a potluck luncheon for everyone attending.

Earlier that morning, the honor guard of Marvin G. Shields Memorial Post 26 of the American Legion, led by Robert Saring, will conduct wreath-laying services at three cemeteries.

They will be at Fort Worden Military Cemetery at 10 a.m., Laurel Grove Cemetery on Old Discovery Bay Road at 10:30 a.m. and St. Mary Cemetery on San Juan Avenue at 11 a.m.

Selena Espinoza will sing the national anthem, and Rick Castellano will sound the taps bugle call at these ceremonies.

Local Scouts will place flags at the grave markers of military service members.

For more information, call the post hall at 360-385-3454.

PORT LUDLOW

Flag retirement

PORT LUDLOW — The South Bay Community Association will host a ceremony to retire worn U.S. flags at the Port Ludlow Bay Club at 11 a.m.

Active-duty Marines will support the ceremony at the club at 120 Spinnaker Place, the association said.

The free Memorial Day tribute will include a reception after the ceremony and dedications.

The one-hour reception, which will begin at noon, will include a performance by the Port Ludlow Singers along with coffee and snacks.

For more information, phone 360-437-2208 or email bayclub@cablespeed.com.

BRINNON

Brinnon ceremony

BRINNON — Brinnon Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 10706 will conduct a Memorial Day service at Brinnon Cemetery at 11 a.m.

All are invited to the half-hour ceremony at the cemetery near Brinnon Community Church, said Ernie Muir, VFW Post quartermaster.

Music will be performed by Kendra and James.

The playing of taps will conclude the ceremony.

CHIMACUM

Parade of flags

CHIMACUM — VFW No. 7498 and the post’s Ladies’ Auxiliary will honor fallen service members with a ceremony at Chimacum Cemetery at 3 p.m.

The post plans a district parade of flags, and member will lay flowers.

Following the ceremony, a potluck is planned at the post, 31 Matheson St., Port Hadlock.

FORKS

Monument ceremony

FORKS — Forks students will lead a ceremony at the West End veterans monument at City Hall, 500 E. Division St., at 11 a.m.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place in council chambers.

The rifle squad of VFW Post 4106 will provide a gun salute.

Following the conclusion of that ceremony, participants will then travel to the Transit Center for a short ceremony to lay a wreath and drop the flag to half-staff.

The public is invited.