As Memorial Day weekend approaches, communities within the Volusia-Flagler area are preparing to gather in remembrance. Throughout the region, veterans groups, organizations and local leaders will host ceremonies and commemorative events honoring the lives of fallen service members and reflecting on the meaning behind the national holiday.
From Oak Hill to Palm Coast, here’s a look at local events scheduled for Memorial Day on May 25.
DeBary Memorial Day ceremony
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8093 in DeBary will host a Memorial Day ceremony on May 25 at noon. The post is located at 351 S. Charles Richard Beall Blvd.
The day will also feature a barbecue afterward. Residents and visitors are invited to honor the fallen by viewing the new Veterans Plaza and Bricks of Honor at 76 Dirksen Drive.
DeLand Memorial Day commemoration
The public is invited to DeLand for a Memorial Day commemoration at 9 a.m. on May 25 at the Veterans Park and Gardens area at Bill Dreggors Park. The park is at 230 N. Stone St. in DeLand. The program will last about 45 minutes, according to the city of DeLand.
Cmdr. Mel Rollins will share a tribute to those who died in Operation Epic Fury and Gold Star Families. Mayor Chris Cloudman, Bishop William Bradley of New Hope Church Deltona and representatives of military and veterans groups will also participate in the commemoration.
“Memorial Day is not a day off. It is a day to remember the men and women who gave everything in service to this country,” the city stated. “We hope you will come out and honor them with us.”
Immediately after the event, the public can participate in military room tours at the DeLand Memorial Hospital and Veterans Museum.
The American Legion Orange Baker Post 187 at 415 West Voorhis Ave. will have a free open house. Also, the American Legion Adam Quinn Post 6 at 1087 Biscayne Blvd. in DeLand will host a light lunch.
Deltona Memorial Day ceremony
Deltona will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony honoring the fallen who served in the military at Veterans Memorial Park at 1921 Evard Ave.
The event starts at 10 a.m., and “the public is encouraged to lay a wreath in honor of those who gave their lives defending our freedoms,” according to event organizers.
Flagler County Memorial Day ceremony
Flagler County will host a Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. on May 25, in front of the Government Services Building, located at 1769 E. Moody Blvd. in Bunnell.
Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts will lead the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the National Anthem and Vince Cautero will lead the singing of “God Bless the U.S.A.” during the event.
The guest speaker will be retired Major General Wilfred Hessert.
Holly Hill Memorial Day ceremony
Holly Hill’s annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held again this year at city hall on May 25. The ceremony will be presented by the American Legion Post 120 beginning at 9 a.m.
Holly Hill City Hall is located 1065 S. Ridgewood Ave. For more information, visit hollyhill.org or call 386-248-9420.
Lake Helen Memorial Day tribute
The sixth annual Memorial Day Tribute Car Show will take place on May 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Blake Park, located at 493 S. Lakeview Drive in Lake Helen.
The event, which honors men and women who died while serving in the military, is free and open to the public, and features a car/truck show, food and music. A 50/50 raffle will take place, and the money raised will benefit American Legion Post 127.
New Smyrna Beach Memorial Day ceremony
The city of New Smyrna Beach will host a ceremony at the Brannon Center, 105 S. Riverside Drive, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on May 25. The Sanford Jazz Ensemble will perform, and a flyover by the Spruce Creek Gaggle is scheduled. Harmony Sound Waves, an a cappella barbershop chorus, will also sing.
Oak Hill Memorial Day service
Saints and Sinners Cemetery and American Legion Post 285 will have a Memorial Day service at 11 a.m. on May 25. The cemetery is located at 240 Sand Ave. in Oak Hill. A luncheon will follow at Post 285, which is at 4497 U.S. 1 in Edgewater.
Orange City Memorial Day service
In Orange City, a Memorial Day remembrance service will take place at 8 a.m. on May 25 at the Deltona Memorial Funeral Home & Gardens, located at 1295 Saxon Blvd.
The event will honor fallen service members with a reflective, community-focused gathering.
Ormond Beach Memorial Day tribute
The city of Ormond Beach will also pay tribute to the “men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
The city’s annual Memorial Day Remembrance Service will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. on May 25 at Rockefeller Gardens Park, located at 26 Riverside Drive.
“All are welcome to attend this meaningful occasion as we come together as a community to pay tribute to our fallen heroes,” the city’s website says. “Let us never forget their sacrifice and the freedoms we enjoy because of their bravery.”
The event is free to the public. For more information, call 386-610-2609 or visit ormondbeach.org.
Port Orange Memorial Day ceremony
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3282 and the Port Orange Parks and Recreation Department will have a Memorial Day ceremony from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Veterans Park, located at 4655 City Center Circle.
Palm Coast Memorial Day ceremony
Palm Coast will hold its Memorial Day ceremony at 8 a.m. on May 25 at Heroes Memorial Park. A ceremonial wreath will be presented.
The ceremony will include a new “community recognition of the fallen” this year, where the public will be invited to share the names and service of their loved ones to honor their sacrifices.
The ceremony will include an Honor Walk, “a quiet procession around the park.” The park is located at 2860 Palm Coast Parkway NW.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Memorial Day ceremonies, events planned in the Daytona, Flagler area
Reporting by Staff Report, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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