This year, Memorial Day Services sponsored by Colin Hyde Post No. 172 will take place at two locations on Monday, May 29.
The general public is invited to attend the memorial ceremony at Bainbridge High School, which post officials said will “honor our dead, remember the cause for which they fought and to affirm our trust in the future.” Starting at 10:45 a.m., Legionnaires, members of the American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of the Legion, as well as local veterans and Bainbridge residents will meet at the Veterans Memorial located at BHS.
There, a very brief service will be conducted and individual members will decorate the area surrounding the monument with flowers and flags. The public is especially invited to bring flowers for this purpose, too.
Immediately following this event, the public and all Legionnaires, Auxiliary and SAL members and Boy Scout Troop 1564 are welcome and encouraged to proceed to the American Legion Post 172 Hall located at 7880 NE Bucklin Hill Road for the main program, which will start at 11:30 a.m. and last about half an hour.
This year’s guest speaker will be Gary Clough, a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran.
American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 172 will provide refreshments following the program.
Finally, an honor guard from the post sponsored Boy Scout Troop 1564 will raise the post flag at noon from half staff to full staff concluding the day’s activities.
Besides their participation in the formal services, Legionnaires will also be responsible for decorating the graves of all known veterans with flags at the five Bainbridge Island cemeteries plus the Saint Barnabas interium and the Bethany Lutheran columbarium.
Grave decoration will be Saturday morning on May 27, and the flags will be removed on Monday evening, May 29. This will allow families to remember their loved ones during the full holiday period.
The Bainbridge post will especially remember those brave Americans who have been killed or wounded in the war on terrorism.
American flags will be put up along Winslow Way by SAL Squadron No. 172 members on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29.
All Islanders are also urged to display their flags at their homes and businesses to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
