Fox Valley Memorial Day observances

Here is what Fox Valley communities are planning to observe Memorial Day this weekend.

Aurorabull; The Aurora Memorial Day Parade steps off at noon Monday, May 31, from South River and Benton streets. It proceeds to Broadway, Downer Place, then ends at Middle and Benton. For details, call (630) 844-4731.Carpentersvillebull; "Healing Field: A Welcome Home Tribute to Our Vietnam Veterans" will feature U.S. flags honoring veterans on display from Thursday, May 27 to Monday, May 31 at Carpenter Park, off Lord Avenue and Maple Street, Carpentersville. The Healing Field opens at 9 a.m. each day.An opening ceremony with music tributes by Community Unit District 300 students will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 27. Additional musical tributes will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, May 28; noon and 6 p.m. Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30; and noon Monday, May 31. On Sunday, May 30, there will be a church service at 10 a.m. A parade will step off at 5 p.m. with the U.S. Air Force flyover at 5:30 p.m. A closing ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. Monday, May 31.The Patriot Committee of Dundee Township is organizing a healing field that will honor the 1,748 veterans determined missing in action or prisoners of war. The Healing Field Foundation was founded in 2002 as a way to commemorate the thousands of lives lost during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Since then, hundreds of communities across the country have hosted a Healing Field or a Field of Honor to raise money and awareness for causes from child abuse to cancer. Proceeds from the flag sales will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Dundee Township. For details, call Jerry Christopherson at (630) 730-0558.Carybull; The Cary Memorial Day Parade begins at 10 a.m. Monday, May 31 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, First Street and Three Oaks Road. The lineup begins at 9 a.m. The parade will head south on First Street and end at the Cary Veterans Park. For details, call Commander Al Young at (847) 639-7684.Crystal Lakebull; The Crystal Lake Memorial Day Parade steps off at 11 a.m. Monday, May 31 at Crystal Lake Central High School, 45 W. Franklin Ave. It will then proceed east on Franklin Avenue, north on William Street, west on Woodstock Street to Union Cemetery where memorial service will be held. Visit crystallake.org.Dundee Townshipbull; The Dundee Township Memorial Day Parade will step off at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 30 at at Immanuel Lutheran School, 310 E. Main St. in East Dundee. The parade, sponsored by the Tri-City Evergreen Veterans of Foreign Wars Post will continue west on Main Street and end in Grafelman Park in West Dundee. There will be a presentation at the gazebo in Grafelman Park immediately following the parade. Main Street will be closed to vehicular traffic for approximately 30-45 minutes during the parade. Traffic will be rerouted to the Main Street bridge in Carpentersville (Huntley Road). For details, call Kenneth and Roberta Andresen at (847) 551-1981.Elginbull; The Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association, in cooperation with the city of Elgin, invites the community to join commemorating Memorial Day.The day will start 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 playing of Taps.At 9:15 a.m. at Lakewood Memorial Park, 30W730 Route 20, a service to honor those buried at the cemetery will be held at the Garden of Honor. It will include a combined color guard, rifle salute, and the playing of Taps.At 9:45 a.m., the Elgin Navy Club and the Marine Corps League will present a program, honoring those who lost their lives at sea. The service will be at Veterans Memorial Park, which is adjacent to Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave. The service, also featuring the Elgin Choral Union, ends with the strewing of flowers into the Fox River, a rifle salute, and Taps. Use the eastbound Kimball Street from Route 31 to reach the park, due to street closings related to the Fox Trot.At 11 a.m. at Bluff City Cemetery, 945 Bluff City Blvd., the program will pay tribute to those who served in the Korean War on the conflict's 60th anniversary with an address by veteran Don Sleeman. Also featured will be the marching band from the Northwest Baptist Bible Academy and the Men's Ensemble from Providence Baptist College.Local students will continue the long-held tradition of reading Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and General John Logan's Order, 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. Activities will conclude with the roll call of deceased veterans, a rifle salute, and the playing of Taps. New this year is a free shuttle bus pickup at the main gate and east gate at Bluff City Cemetery.For details, visit elginmemorialday.org or find it on Facebook at Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association.Fox River Grovebull; Fox River Grove Memorial Day Parade steps off at 8:30 a.m. Monday, May 31 at Algonquin Road School, 975 Algonquin Road, Fox River Grove. It will continue down Algonquin Road to South River Road. The parade, hosted by the American Legion Frank H. Nagel Jr. Post 119, ends at Lions Park with a ceremony and 21-gun salute to honor fallen soldiers. For details, call Commander Marv Jedicker at (847) 639-3459.Genevabull; Geneva Memorial Day events begin on Monday, May 31, with Color Guard rifle salute at 6 a.m. at the East Side Cemetery, off Bennett Street. It then proceeds to the State Street bridge for a ceremony with flowers strewn on the river, followed by salutes around 6:30 a.m. at the Kane County Veterans Memorial at the Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., and at 7 a.m. at Geneva Township Senior Center, 400 Wheeler Drive. The Memorial Day parade steps off at 10 a.m. near the Geneva Metra Station, off Third Street and continues down Third Street to the West Side Cemetery, Second and Stevens streets.Hampshirebull; The Hampshire Memorial Day Parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 31 at Hampshire Middle School, 560 S. State St., Hampshire. It then proceeds to Ralph Seyller East park where services will be held. Hampshire High School Band will take part in the ceremonies. For details, call (847) 683-0904.Huntleybull; Huntley Memorial Day Parade will step off at 11 a.m. Monday, May 31 from Municipal Complex, 10987 Main St. It will proceed to the American Legion Post 673, Coral and, Woodstock streets, Huntley. There will be a Memorial Day service after the parade at the American Legion Post. For details, call (847) 669-8485.Kanevillebull; The Kaneville Township 115th annual Memorial Day Program will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, May 31, at the Dave Werdin Community Center, 2S101 Harter Road, Kaneville. The guest speaker will be former resident Evan Mahan, a veteran of the Iraq war. Guest musician will be local folk singer Lee Murdock. There will be a special seating section for veterans, who will be recognized during the program. After the program, there will be a parade to the cemetery for a rifle salute and decoration of the graves. Refreshments will be served at the Community Center upon return from the cemetery. Old flags, to be retired, will be collected for disposal by the American Legion.St. Charlesbull; The city of St. Charles 2010 Memorial Day activities will begin at 6 a.m. Monday, May 31, with the raising of the colors at the Baker Community Center, 101 S. Second St. At 6:30 a.m., there will be ceremonies at South Cemetery (east side of Seventh Avenue, north of Madison), North Cemetery (west side of Route 25, north of Johnor Avenue), and Union Cemetery (east side of Route 25, north of Stonehedge Road). This will include an honor guard, a firing squad, and posting of the colors. The Memorial Day Parade begins at 10 a.m. at Fifth Street and continues to First Avenue. Immediately after the parade, there will be a short ceremony at the Freedom Shrine, located along the river west of the Police Department, 2 State Ave. The ceremony at the Freedom Shrine will include the following guest speakers: Mark F. Powell, Mayor Donald P. DeWitte and U.S. Rep. Bill Foster. The keynote speaker will be Jonathon Monken.Powell is finishing up his second year as Commander of the local VFW. He is a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserves working with the 85th Support Command. He has served tours of duty in Germany, Texas, Central America as well as a Combat Tour during Desert Storm flying with the Combat Aviation Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his actions during Desert Shield / Desert Storm. He lives in St. Charles with his wife and four children and works as a financial adviser with Edward Jones. Monken was appointed by Governor Pat Quinn to be the 22nd Director of the Illinois State Police on March 23, 2009. As agency director, he oversees a staff of 3,400 sworn and civilian personnel within four major divisions, including the third largest crime laboratory system in the world. Having graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2002 where he ranked in the top 1 percent of his class militarily, he is currently completing a masters in business administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. He has served one tour of duty Kosovo and two yearlong tours in Iraq between January 2003 and December 2006. Leadership positions during his tours of duty included Tank Platoon leader, Executive Office, and Company Commander. While serving with the United States Army, Captain Monken was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device for valor and the Combat Action Badge.South Elginbull; South Elgin's annual Memorial Day Service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, May 31 at Panton Mill Park, off North Water Street in South Elgin. Visit southelgin.com.West Dundeebull; A Memorial Day service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, May 31 at River Valley Memorial Gardens, Route 31, West Dundee. The public is invited. The spiritual address will be given by the Rev. Steven Mindrup of the First United Methodist Church of West Dundee. The Tri-Cities VFW Post 2298 and Auxiliary will participate in this half-hour service honoring over 944 veterans buried at River Valley memorial Gardens. Soloist will be Kathy Clifford-Grazinskas. The Dundee-Crown High School trumpeters will participate with the national anthem and Taps.