Memorial Day observances
p class="factboxtext">There are many ways to observe Memorial Day and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Many will fly the flag today. Some will display the POW/MIA flag in honor of those who never returned from conflict.
Some will pause at 3 p.m. for the National Moment of Remembrance, declared by President Clinton in 2000.
Others might pledge to give of themselves by volunteering at a veteran's hospital or help a family that lost a loved one in a time of war. Or they might give blood, knowing that this popular travel weekend results in tragic accidents.
Many more, however, will take to the streets for more public observances, memorial services or patriotic parades throughout the suburbs. Here's a look at what's going on around our communities today.
Addison
Addison VFW Post 7446 will sponsor a ceremony at 11 a.m. May 26 in the east portico at Addison Village Hall, 1 Friendship Plaza. For details, call (630) 628-9804 or visit www.addisonadvantage.org.
Aurora
Aurora's Memorial Day Parade starts at noon at Benton and South River streets and ends at Middle Avenue and Benton. For details, call (630) 844-4731.
Bloomingdale
Bloomingdale's annual remembrance program will be at 9:30 a.m. May 26 at St. Paul Cemetery on Lake Street. The event will include a placing of flags, playing of taps, a gun salute by VFW Post 7539 and a concert of patriotic music by an a cappella ensemble of the Spirit of Life Chorus. Bring lawn chairs for seating. For details, call (630) 529-3120, ext. 2801. The event is sponsored by the Village of Bloomingdale, the Bloomingdale Public Library and the Bloomingdale Historical Society.
Bolingbrook
American Legion Post 1288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5917 will hold three services in honor of Memorial Day on May 26. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. at Boardman Cemetery, near Paxson Drive off Royce Road. Then it moves to Hillcrest Cemetery, 348 Boughton Road. At 11 a.m., services conclude with an event at the Veteran's Memorial at Bolingbrook Town Center, 375 W. Briarcliff Road. For details, call (630) 226-8400.
Carol Stream
The Carol Stream Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10396 will hold a Memorial Day service at 11 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park, Thunderbird Trail and Silverleaf Boulevard, Carol Stream. The service will recognize community veterans and families of those currently serving overseas. For details, call (630) 584-3477.
Downers Grove
The Downers Grove Memorial Day Parade steps off at 10:45 a.m. May 26 from Main Street and Forest Avenue. The parade proceeds along Main Street to Fishel Park. A ceremony follows. For details, call (630) 434-5555.
Elmhurst
The Elmhurst Memorial Day Parade steps off at 9:30 a.m. May 26 from York and Third streets. For details, call (630) 834-6060.
Glen Ellyn
Glen Ellyn American Legion Post 3 and VFW Post 6663 will conduct a Memorial Day Service at 11 a.m. Monday at Lake Ellyn Park, Lenox and Linden, Glen Ellyn. Howard Chittenden, a POW from World War II, will be the featured speaker. There will be a wreath-laying ceremony, 21-gun salute and music by Glenbard West and South high schools. For details, call (630) 469-3991.
Glendale Heights
Glendale Heights' VFW Post 2377 will conduct a brief wreath-laying ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday at the Veterans Memorial in Veterans Memorial Park, northeast corner of Bloomingdale Road and Fullerton Avenue. The ceremony includes a flag and color guard presentation, gun salute and playing of taps. For details, call (630) 894-1358.
Itasca
The Itasca Memorial Day parade steps off at 10 a.m. May 26 from Bryn Mawr and Catalpa avenues and proceeds to 200 N. Maple St. For details, call (630) 773-2257 or visit www.itascaparkdistrict.com.
Lisle
Lisle's Memorial Day Parade starts at 11 a.m. May 26. The parade steps off at Lisle Junior High, goes west to Main Street, north of Main to School Street, east on School to Spencer, south on Spencer to Burlington Avenue. Watchers are invited to join the parade to Lisle Village Hall for the fire district's wreath-laying ceremony. The parade will continue to Lisle Cemetery for a remembrance service by Ross Bishop VFW Post No. 5696. A community picnic will follow on the grounds of the Museums at Lisle Station Park. The U.S. Army will also have a rock-climbing wall and several vehicles to view. For details, visit www.villageoflisle.org
Lombard
There will be a ceremony at noon May 26 in the Sunken Garden at Lombard Common, Grace Street and St. Charles Road. For details, visit www.villageoflombard.org.
Naperville
• Ceremonies begin with an 8 a.m. flag raising at Shanower Memorial, an 8:30 a.m. service at Veterans Park on Gartner, an 8:50 a.m. service at Doughboy sculpture in Burlington Square Park, a 9:15 a.m. service at Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery, a 10 a.m. service at GAR Monument in Naperville Cemetery and a 10:40 a.m. service at the corner of Webster and Jackson.
• Naperville's Memorial Day parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. from Centennial Beach and continues to St. Peter and Paul parking lot. Sponsored by the Naperville VFW and American Legion posts. Free. For details, call (630) 357-4615 or visit www.napervfw.org.
• A musical tribute by the Naperville Municipal Band follows from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. at Community Concert Center in Central Park.
Oakbrook Terrace
Chapel Hill Gardens West in Oakbrook Terrace will host a ceremony at 9 a.m. May 26 at the cemetery and funeral home, 17W201 Roosevelt Road. Military honors and a wreath-laying ceremony follow. For details, call (630) 941-5860.
Roselle
Roselle American Legion Post 1084 will host a ceremony honoring the contributions of those who served in all conflicts at 11 a.m. May 26 at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery on Irving Park Road. The legion invites the community back to its facility at 344 E. Maple for an open house. For information, call (630) 894-8524
Villa Park
Villa Park VFW Post 2801 will host a service at 11 a.m. May 26 at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park, 320 E. Kenilworth, Villa Park.
Warrenville
The Warrenville VFW Post 8081 will host four Memorial Day ceremonies Monday. Members will begin at 8 a.m. at Marywood Cemetery, 1820 Church Road in Aurora. At 10 a.m., services will be held at Assumption Cemetery, 1S510 Winfield Road in Wheaton. At 11 a.m., services will be held at the Veterans Memorial near the Warrenville City Hall, 28W701 Stafford Place. Members will then march to Warrenville Cemetery, located along Warrenville Road between Warren and Curtis avenues, where services will be held at noon. Participants are invited to the VFW post, located at 3S371 Mignum Drive in Warrenville, for refreshments. For details, call (630) 393-2442.
West Chicago
Memorial Day Remembered will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. The event honors fallen soldiers in the manner of the 1890s and Decoration Day, the precursor of Memorial Day. For details, call (630) 876-5900.
Wheaton
American Legion Post 76 will hold its Memorial Day Parade beginning at 10 a.m. May 26 in Memorial Park, Wheaton and Union avenues, Wheaton. The parade will continue to Wheaton Cemetery on Wheaton Warrenville Road for a ceremony. For details, call (630) 682-0076.
Winfield
Boy Scouts of America Troop 575 will hold its annual Memorial Day service and flag ceremony at 7 a.m. May 26 in downtown Winfield near the VFW memorial site in Creekside Park, one block south of Beecher street on Winfield Road. Seating is limited.
Wood Dale
The Wood Dale Memorial Day parade steps off at 11 a.m. May 26 from Wood Dale Junior High, 655 N. Wood Dale Road and proceeds to 269 W. Irving Park Road. For details, call (630) 787-3712 or visit www.wooddale.com.