STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
A Few Good Men and the Boise Highlanders bagpipers will take part in the 18th annual Hailey Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 27.
The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. rain or shine at the Hailey Cemetery, 511 E. Maple St. Refreshments will be served in the gazebo following the cemetery.
The ceremony offers Wood River Valley residents the opportunity to honor nearly 400 veterans that have been laid to rest at the Hailey Cemetery. Further north, 220 veterans are buried in the Ketchum Cemetery.
This year’s theme is “the spirit of freedom will never let us forget our fallen heroes.”
The Mountain Home Air Force Base Honor Guard will provide a Color Guard, Wreath Bearer and Firing Party for the 21-gun salute. It will also present the Fallen Soldier Battlecross and perform “Taps.”
Weather permitting, there will be a flyover of military aircraft in the missing man formation..
Veterans are invited to an appreciation luncheon following the ceremony at 12:15 p.m. at Upper Big Wood River Grange 192, at 609 S. Third Ave. The lunch is being catered by Mahoney’s Bar & Grill in Bellevue.
The Hailey Cemetery will be decorated from dusk Friday, May 24, to dusk Monday, May 27, with American flags and a carnation placed on every veteran’s gravesite. The graves of those took part in World War I will be marked with a poppy in honor of the centennial last November of that war’s armistice.
The ceremony will focus on how we honor the fallen by carrying on their passion to keep us safe and free,” said Geegee Lowe, who is organizing the ceremony. “It is a day in remembrance of those we have lost and to honor and thank the families for their sacrifice. It is a day to show our pride and deep admiration for the dedicated integrity of our servicemen.”
For more information, call 208-788-2007 or 208-720-7395.