Local Memorial Day observations will be held Sunday and Monday in Champaign County.
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Here is a roundup of Memorial Day weekend events in Champaign County:
Sunday, May 26
Terre Haute Memorial Day observance: The event will begin at 2 p.m. with a parade forming at the Terre Haute Mall. Ice cream will be served on the steps of the Terre Haute Global Methodist Church at 1 p.m. Jared Shank will deliver the speech in the cemetery titled “Terre Haute’s contribution to the Korean War.” Shank is a Graham High School graduate and a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan. He now serves as a local historian.
Monday, May 27 – MEMORIAL DAY
Christiansburg Memorial Day is coordinated by the Christiansburg Fire Company, which will host the 43rd Annual Memorial Day Parade and Services on Monday, May 27. Parade begins at 11:30 a.m. Following the parade, services will be held at Smith Cemetery at the east edge of the village. The speaker for the services is Champaign County Commissioner Tim Cassady. The parade includes the Graham High School Marching Band, local fire departments and antique cars. Lineup for the parade is at Christiansburg Park at 11 a.m. Anyone willing to participate in the parade will be welcomed, according to the Christiansburg Fire Company.
Woodstock Memorial Day will begin at 9 a.m. with services by Mechanicsburg Legion Post 238 at Woodstock Cemetery with speaker Tim Kemper and music by the Triad High School band. Woodstock Church will be serving cinnamon rolls, milk, coffee and juice.
North Lewisburg Memorial Day will begin at 9:45 a.m. with the parade formation at Carter Garage. The parade begins at 10 a.m. followed by a 10:30 a.m. service at the monument by Mechanicsburg Legion Post 238. The speaker will be Tim Kemper with music by the Triad High School band.
St. Paris Memorial Day: Event is scheduled to take place at Harmon Park, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Graham Marching Band will be present to perform music. The speaker, Jared Shank, will be honoring local soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Korean War.
Mechanicsburg Memorial Day begins with the 12:30 p.m. parade formation at Heritage. The parade begins at 1 p.m. followed by a service at the cemetery hosted by Mechanicsburg Legion Post 238. The speaker will be Tim Kemper, with music by the Mechanicsburg High School band.
Urbana Memorial Day
The VFW Post 5451 will be hosting its annual Memorial Day celebration on Monday at Soldier’s Mound in the Oak Dale Cemetery at 10:45 a.m. The guest speaker will be retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Jay Johnson. Col. Johnson currently serves as the Director of the Voinovich Academy for Excellence in Public Service Voinovich School, at Ohio University. Johnson served more than 30 years in the United States Marine Corps as a combat engineer in over 20 countries. His focus was always on taking care of his Marines by developing and inspiring men and women to become agile, adaptive and innovative leaders. Johnson has a passion for helping build leadership capacity for those in public service across Ohio’s local, state, and nonprofit organizations. His mantra: “We build today’s leaders into tomorrow’s public service champions.” Jay and his wife are the owners of Carmazzi’s and the Cool Spot in downtown Urbana.
Former Army Captain and West Point graduate Dan Cox will be master of ceremonies for the celebration. Chaplain David Cox will provide prayer in remembrance of out fallen veterans. The event will honor our fallen with a 21-gun salute, color guard, and Jim White will conduct a fly over in a vintage military airplane during the services. The inclement weather plan is to conduct the celebration at the same date and time at BrownRidge Hall at the Urbana VFW located at 220 E. Court St., Urbana. All are invited to join in celebration of our fallen veterans.
