Area Memorial Day services slated for Monday, May 27

Following is a list of area Memorial Day services
 
Montezuma
       Montezuma Memorial Day services will be held at the Masonic IOOF Cemetery near the maintenance building on Monday, May 27 at 10 a.m. The Montezuma Blakely Stevens Post 169 of the American Legion and its Auxiliary are hosting the services.
         Invocation will be under the director of American Legion Post 169 Pastor Ted Morlock.
     American Legion Hawkeye Girls’ State Representatives Elizabeth DeJong and Karlee Knust will read “Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.” Boys’ State Representative Max Anderson will follow with the reading of “General Logan’s Orders.”
       Placing of the Wreath on the “Grave of the Unknown Solider” will be under the direction of Blakely-Stevens Unit Auxiliary President Bea Hensel.
           The guest speaker will be Mike Mahaffey.
         The Post 169 firing squad will deliver the three-volley salute. The Montezuma High School Band, under the direction of Carri Burnett, will perform several patriotic numbers, including Taps.
           The Benediction will follow by Pastor Morlock.
         Following services in Montezuma, American Legion members will travel to cemeteries at West Liberty, Sheley and Ewart for the playing of Taps.
           On Friday, May 24, at 4 p.m., veterans and volunteers will be placing flags on the Montezuma Square, at the cemeteries and on veterans’ graves.
 
Brooklyn and Malcom
       A flag raising ceremony will be held at the Brooklyn Community Estates Nursing Home at 9 a.m., on Monday, May 27 with assembly time at 8:30 a.m. The group will then proceed to the Brooklyn Cemetery for Memorial Day services at approximately 9:15 a.m. followed by a service at Kent Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. A service at the Ivy Hill Cemetery in Malcom will follow at 10:30 a.m.
      Speaker for the services will be pastor Boyd Sparks of the Malcom United Methodist Church. Others participating will be the BGM High School Band, Poweshiek Pioneers 4-H Club, Madison Moovers 4-H Club and the Girl Scouts. The Legion Auxiliary will place the wreath (in honor of all the service men and women who have answered the last call) with the American Legion Posts 294 and 733 firing squads giving the three-volley salute.
       The BGM High School Band and Legion firing squads will proceed to the Malcom Cemetery, where they will participate in the services at 10:30 a.m.
          In case of rain, the services will be held at the high school in Brooklyn and at the Legion Hall in Malcom.
 
Slack-Light, Dresden, Guernsey and Deep River
         The Deep River Morrison Schrader Post 296 of the American Legion is hosting Memorial Day services at four area cemeteries on Monday, May 27.
       The day will begin at 9 a.m. at Slack-Light Cemetery (meet at the Deep River Legion Hall at 8 a.m.) followed by stops at Dresden Cemetery at 9:30 a.m., and Guernsey Cemetery at 10 a.m.
       The Deep River service will be held at Golden Rod Cemetery (Community Center if bad weather) beginning at 11 a.m.
          Commander Carl Purvis will conduct ceremony orders followed by the “National Anthem” performed by the Montezuma High School Band under the direction of Carri Burnett. 
         The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, led by Girls’ State representative Addison Probasco, will follow with Post Chaplain Pastor Larry Naylor of the Church of Christ in Deep River leading the invocation.
        Girls’ State representative Taylor Wilcox will read “Freedom is not Free.” Unit 296 Auxiliary Tammi Quinlan will read “Flanders Field” and Girls’ State representative Madison Cheney will read “Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.”
         Guest speaker will be Jacki Bolen, the Auxiliary Unit 296 President and Department of Iowa Americanism chair. She is also the past district president.
        The Montezuma High School Band will perform patriotic numbers while Auxiliary Unit 296 Secretary Tami Wilhelm and 5th District Jr. Auxiliary President Jaidyn Rugg, along with Legion Past Commander David Maxwell and Adjutant Ed Evans deposit wreaths at markers.
         Prayer for the Nation will be under the direction of Pastor Michelle Williamson with the United Church of Deep River.
       Sergeant at Arms will give the "Salute our Departed Comrades.” The three-volley salute will follow with Legion Post 296 Bugler Zach Van Waardhuizen presenting Taps with echo.
        Set out Poppies and the Avenue of Flags will take place on Friday, May 24 at 5 p.m. Flag pick up will be Monday, May 27 at 5 p.m.
 
Grinnell
      The Grinnell American Legion Post 53 and the VFW Post 3932 invite area residents to Memorial Day services on Monday, May 27 at 11 a.m. at Grinnell Central Park stage. If it rains, the event will be held at the Elks Lodge.
       In addition, there will be a Wreath Laying presentation along with a playing of Taps at 3 p.m. at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. This ceremony is part of the National Taps Across America Ceremony.
 
Victor
         The Victor American Legion Post 54 is hosting a Memorial Day service on Monday, May 27 at 10 a.m. The event will be held at the American Legion Post at 601 3rd St. The HLV High School band will play and the Victor Community Choir will sing Patriotic songs.
        After the service, there will be a short ceremony across the street from the Victor Memorial Cemetery with the laying of the wreath to the Unknown Soldier along with the three-volley salute and Taps.