Elgin Memorial Day ceremony to pay tribute to end of World War I

The Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association, in cooperation with the city of Elgin, invites the community to the Memorial Day events on Monday, May 28. For information, including possible weather related changes, visit www.elginmemorialday.org.

At 8:45 a.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery, 1001 Villa St., there will be a Catholic Mass along with a combined color guard, rifle salute, and the playing of "Taps."

At 9:15 a.m., a service to honor those buried at Lakewood Memorial Park, 30W730 Route 20, will be held at the cemetery's Garden of Honor. It will include a combined color guard. The observance will conclude with a rifle salute and the playing of "Taps."

The next service will be at 9:45 a.m. at Elgin Veterans Memorial Park, off North Grove Avenue, near the library. Organized by the Elgin Navy Club and the Elgin Marine Corps League, this program will feature the Elgin Master Chorale.

It is especially designed to pay tribute to veterans interred at sea. After the presentation by Elgin Navy Club members, the service will conclude with the strewing of flowers into the Fox River, rifle salute, and the playing of "Taps."

The Bluff City Cemetery program will begin at 11 a.m. at the cemetery, 945 Bluff City Blvd. in Elgin.

This year's program will pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.

The keynote speaker will be given freelance reporter and historian Dave Gathman who will reflect on the war and Elgin's involvement in the conflict.

This program also will include the Elgin Master Chorale and Larkin High School Band. Local students will continue the long held tradition of reading Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and "General John Logan's Orders" which established Memorial Day.

The most solemn moment of the morning will be the laying of organizational wreaths at the Grand Army of the Republic memorial - an observance akin to the laying of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington D.C.

Activities will include a roll call of deceased veterans, a rifle salute, and the playing of Taps.

After the program, Civil War historian Ken Gough will be on hand to help anyone wanting to learn more about many of the Civil War era graves in the cemetery.

Again this year, a free shuttle bus will pick up riders at the main gate and east gate before and after the service for transportation to and from the ceremony area. Because of limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.

Note, the 11 a.m. program will also be broadcast live on WRMN Radio 1410 AM.

Should weather conditions be deemed unsuitable by city officials for outdoor programs an announcement will be made no later than 8:30 a.m. on Memorial Day that the Elgin Veterans Memorial Park and Bluff City Cemetery programs will be held at their normal times at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin.

This information will be posted on www.cityofelgin.org and distributed by all possible media. This possible change does not affect the Lakewood Memorial Park and Mount Hope programs.

Residents are encouraged to visit the local cemeteries during the Memorial Day period.

At Bluff City Cemetery, over 600 flags honoring local veterans line the streets as part of the award winning "Avenue of Flags."

There are also more than 2,800 smaller flags flying over veterans graves placed by local volunteers as part of the "Adopt a Cemetery" program.

Visit www.elginmemorialday.org or follow the Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association on Facebook.