Douglas County Veterans Viewpoint: Memorial Day Events
For local veterans groups, May is one of the busiest months of the year. Planning for Memorial Day takes considerable time and effort. I’m thankful for the wonderful people who put in the time and effort to bring these patriotic events to our community. But first, two events not related to Memorial Day.
Quarterly Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, May 17, at 1 p.m., at the Roseburg National Cemetery Communal Shelter on the Roseburg VA campus. Although normally held on Thursday, the date was changed to Wednesday to accommodate Living History Day at Roseburg High School.
Trauma Healing Project is hosting a Veterans Wellness Event, Friday, May 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at their facility at 2222 Coburg Road, Suite 300, in Eugene. Veterans are invited to attend and try out their healing arts services. Sessions include mindfulness, movement, and acupuncture. Snacks will be provided, and childcare will be available for children 12 and under.
An RSVP is requested, but not required. Veterans interested in attending should email rsvp@healingattention.org, or call 541-687-9447.
Memorial Day events are planned for several communities in Douglas County. I suggest attending the parade in Reedsport on Sunday, breakfast in Myrtle Creek Monday, then one of the several Memorial Day events in Douglas County.
Glide. Memorial Day Tribute will be held Monday, May 29, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., at the Glide Community Center, 20062 North Umpqua Highway, Glide. The event will honor Wm. W. McMillen, a veteran of the Civil War and early settler of the Glide / Idleyld Park area. The event includes a wreath laying ceremony, bagpiper, bugler, and poetry reading. Eight veterans will be honored with an induction ceremony, where a brick for each veteran will be installed on the Memorial Wall.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/glideveteransmemorial.
Myrtle Creek. American Legion Fallin Post 123 will be holding their Memorial Day Breakfast, Monday, May 29, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Building, at 252 S. Old Pacific Highway, in Myrtle Creek. Veterans eat free, donations graciously accepted. The Post will also be posting flags throughout the Myrtle Creek and Tri City communities that day.
Reedsport. The Reedsport Memorial Weekend Parade is the day before Memorial Day, Sunday, May 28, starting at 1:30 p.m. Following the parade, at 3 p.m. there will be a Memorial Service at Hahn Park War Memorial. At 4 p.m. a Meet & Greet at the Presbyterian Church, followed by dinner at 5 p.m. The day finishes with a Patriotic Concert at Pacific Auditorium at 7 p.m.
The parade route begins at Longwood Drive’s intersection with US 101, proceeds north on US 101 to 10th Street, to Winchester Avenue, then left on Winchester Avenue to the far side of the railroad tracks where the parade will disband near the Hahn Memorial.
The following day, Monday, May 29, there will be a memorial service at 10 a.m. at the Masonic Cemetery on Longwood Drive.
A friendly reminder that people interested in participating have until May 22 to submit their entry forms. For information, visit their website at www.reedsportmemorialparade.org.
Roseburg. The Douglas County Veterans Forum hosts a Memorial Day Ceremony Monday, May 29, at 11 a.m., at the Roseburg National Cemetery on the Roseburg VA campus. The ceremony will include singing by the Oakland Choir, a speech, rifle volley fire, bagpiper, bugler, and more.
Following the ceremony, American Legion Post 16 will host a Memorial Day Picnic at the Stewart Park Pavilion in Roseburg. Veterans and their families are encouraged to attend, and eat free. Donations will be graciously accepted.
Sutherlin. VFW Post 3970 will hold a Memorial Day wreath laying and ceremony at the Memorial Wall in Central Park in Sutherlin, on Monday, May 29, at 11 a.m. The VFW Post and the Sutherlin Lions Club will also be posting flags in the community.
God bless our veterans and God bless America.
