With Memorial Day weekend soon arriving, towns across Pierce County are preparing for more Memorial Day events than last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Every American Legion located within Pierce County plans to host an event on Memorial Day with most of these events being open to the public.

Here is a schedule of Memorial Day observances:

River Falls Post 121

Post 121 will visit the following cemeteries and times as follows: •Kinnickinnic – 7 a.m.

•Mann Valley – 7:30 a.m.

•Glass Valley – 8 a.m.

•Cherma – 8:20 a.m.

•St. Bridget – 8:45 a.m.

At each cemetery the Post 121 Honor Guard will present the Colors, fire a rifle salute and present Taps. At 10 a.m. the Legion will present the community program at the Veterans Memorial at Greenwood Cemetery, along with music and tributes to deceased veterans. Thomas Murphy, who was killed on April 1, 1970, in Viet Nam and posthumously awarded the Silver Star for heroic action in battle, will be honored through a special “re-enactment” presentation. All Memorial Day activities are open to the public.

For more information, contact Bill Gnatzig, Public Affairs Officer for Legion Post 121.

Prescott Post 61

Prescott American Legion Post 161 will visit the following for its Memorial Day firing schedule: •9 a.m. firing at the Prescott American Legion hall

•9:15 a.m. firing at the Prescott Nursing home

•9:30 a.m. firing at St. Mary's Cemetery in Big River

•9:45 a.m. St. John’s Cemetery

•10 a.m. Mercord Mill Park

•10:15 a.m. No Name Saloon large flag

•10:45 a.m. meet at Veterans Triangle.

•11 a.m. service at Veterans Triangle

Maiden Rock Post 158

The Maiden Rock American Legion Post 158 will begin their Memorial Day events at 7:25 a.m. with the first cemetery honor guard stop at Little Plum Cemetery.

The Maiden Rock Legion will travel to 11 different cemeteries listed below with a schedule. There will be a potluck hosted at the Maiden Rock American Legion (W2770 20th Ave., Maiden Rock) at 1 p.m. Memorial Day afternoon. The event is open to the public, and all attendees are encouraged to bring their own dish.

For further information, contact Keith Bengston, Adjutant of the Maiden Rock American Legion.

Maiden Rock Honor Guard Cemetery Schedule

•Little Plum 7:25 a.m.

•Frankfort 7:40 a.m.

•Porcupine 7:55 a.m.

•Moravian 8:25 a.m.

•Old Sabylund 8:35 a.m.

•New Stockholm 8:50 a.m.

•Old Stockholm 9:05 a.m.

•Oakwood Pepin 9:30 a.m.

•New Sabylund 10 a.m.

•Swedish Methodist 10:15 a.m.

•Maiden Rock 10:45 a.m.

•Lake Pepin Lakeshore – Maiden Rock 11 a.m.

Ellsworth Post 204

The Ellsworth American Legion Post 204 will have three Honor Guard squads going to cemeteries across Ellsworth on Memorial Day morning.

Squad One will be going to the following cemeteries:

•Maple Grove at 7:45 a.m.

•United Church of Christ at 8:00 a.m.

•Zion Covenant at 8:25 a.m.

•Old Clayfield at 8:45 a.m.

•Clayfield at 9 a.m.

Squad Two will be going to the following cemeteries:

•St. Francis at 7:45 a.m.

•Thurston Hill at 8:00 a.m.

•Beldenville at 8:15 a.m.

•El Paso at 8:35 a.m.

•Lost Creek at 8:55 a.m.

Squad Three will be going to the following cemeteries:

•Hartland Presbyterian at 7:45 a.m.

•Bethlehem Lutheran at 8:00 a.m.

•Bethel Covenant (Moeville) at 8:25 a.m.

•Trimbelle at 8:45 a.m.

The Ellsworth Legion squads will be accompanied by Boy Scout Troop 138 and the Ellsworth High School bugle band.

Bay City Post 357

The American Legion Auxiliary in Bay City will host Memorial Day events at different cemeteries beginning at 8 a.m. The honorary services will be open to the public with guest speakers scheduled to appear at the Bay City Cemetery at 10 a.m.

For more information, contact Devin Feuerhelm at the American Legion Auxiliary in Bay City or visit their Facebook page.

•Esdaile Cemetery – 8 a.m.

•Hartland Methodist Cemetery – 8:30 a.m.

•Tabor Lutheran Cemetery – 9 a.m.

•Bay City Lakeshore waterfront – 9:30

a.m.

•Bay City Cemetery – 10 a.m. (singing national anthem, guest speaker)

•Trenton Cemetery 10:45 a.m.

(singing, guest speaker)

•Diamond Bluff Cemetery – 11:30

a.m.

•Svea Lutheran Cemetery – 12 p.m.

Elmwood Post 207

The Crain-Ottman American Legion Post 207 and Auxiliary Unit 207 will hold their Memorial Day program on May 31, 2021, at the Veteran’s Memorial Park in Elmwood. This year's speaker is Rebecca Place, a member of the Crain-Ottman Post. In case of rain the program will be held at the Elmwood Auditorium (323 Winter Ave.) The schedule for the outlying cemeteries is as follows:

•St. John’s Lutheran – 8:15 a.m.

•Oak Ridge – 8:30 a.m.

•Spring Lake – 8:50 a.m.

•Sacred Heart – 9:30 a.m.

•Old Rock Elm – 9:45 a.m.

•Poplar Hill – 10 a.m.

•Welcome Home Assisted Living 10:20 a.m.

•Veteran’s Memorial Park – 11 a.m.

Spring Valley Post 227

The Spring Valley American Legion Post 227 will host its Memorial Day Event at 9:30 a.m. in Handy Andy Park in Spring Valley. The event is open to the public to attend and will also be live streamed on the Post 227 Facebook page.

Unlike previous years, there will still be no cookout or performance of the national anthem by the Spring Valley High School band due to COVID-19.

For more information, contact Post 227 Commander Pete Esanbock.

Plum City Post 365

Frank Gilles American Legion Post 365 and Auxiliary Unit No. 365 in Plum City will begin their Memorial Day events by visiting each of the five local cemeteries.

The cemetery visiting schedule is as follows:

•Free Home Cemetery – 9:30 a.m.

•Lund Cemetery – 9:50 a.m.

•Ono – 10:10 a.m.

•Town of Union/Village of Plum City – 10:30 a.m.

•St. John’s Cemetery – 10:30 a.m.

At each cemetery, the names of all known veterans will be read, along with the Chaplain’s final prayer and a rifle salute.

Following cemetery services, Legion Post 365 will be at Plum City High School at 11 a.m. to honor veterans who died in service. From there, Legion Post 365 will go to Plum City Care Center and the Seasons to honor those veterans who are homebound.

A performance by The Blues Note Saxophone Quartet will take place at Spring Pond Park prior to the public ceremony presented by Post No. 365. The public ceremony will have two wreath layings to honor deceased veterans and those lost at sea during wars and in service.

Legion Post 365 will hold a Memorial Day Program at Spring Pond Park following the Memorial Day Services in the morning. The program will include the recognition of participants who are winners of the Poppy Poster Contest and the Americanism Essay Contest. A picnic lunch will be served by Auxiliary Unit No. 365 during the memorial service and program.

The event is open to the public and those attending are requested to bring their own lawn chairs with limited seating available. For more information, contact Patricia Sanders of the Legion Post 365 at [email protected]