By Don Rush

This coming weekend veterans from all branches of the United States Armed Services and volunteers will gear up for local Memorial Day celebrations. In Oxford the Memorial Day Ceremony starts at 10 a.m. in Centennial Park on Monday, May 29. The Lakeville Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony is this Saturday (May 27), starting at 11:30 a.m.

According to Jim Parkhurst of American Legion Walter Fraser Post 108 on E. Drahner Rd., a number of different scouting groups will be out at local cemeteries cleaning up grave markers of veterans who have passed and putting up white crosses for local soldiers who lost their lives in defense of this country.

“Scouts will be out at Centennial Park on Saturday morning starting at 8:30 putting in the white crosses,” he said. “We’ll also be handing out American flags to another scouting group who will place those flags on graves. We will start Saturday morning in the south cemetery on W. Burdick Street, work our way across the street to the north (Oxford) township cemetery and then east to Ridgelawn Cemetery which the Acheson family runs. The Sons of the Legion will put out flags at the North Oxford Cemetery and at Kingsbury.”

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On Saturday, at Lakeville Cementer, 825 Drahner Rd., Leonard, the day’s events starts with the North Oakland Concert Band, under the direction of Annette Kline welcoming those arriving. At noon, Leonard resident Geno Mallia will welcome everybody. After the military march in, flags will be raised by members of the Addison Township Fire Department and of the US military, followed by Marilyn Buchman singing the National Anthem, a 21-gun salute, Taps and then Dennis Lowe will play his bagpipes.

After the Pledge of Allegiance, there will be placing of the wreaths and more music by the North Oakland Concert Band. Nancy Martin will give a reading and special guest speakers are Clarence Cameron and Lt. Commander Jeff Discall. Anne Roszczewski will lead singing God Bless America. Before light refreshments, Minister Dan Walk will bless the food.

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On Memorial Day, the annual Oxford ceremony starts at 10 a.m. (sharp) in Centennial Park, downtown. The ceremony includes placing dog tags on the crosses of those who died in service. Guest speaker will be Sergeant Ric Meza of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

“I am truly humbled and honored to be able to speak due to this being very close to my heart,” Meza said. “Memorial Day is a very meaningful and heartfelt day to a lot of people. I was a sergeant in the army.”

After the park service, there will be a parade from Centennial, north on Washington St., and west on Burdick to Ridgelawn Cemetery for

wreath-placing ceremony and a 21-gun salute. The National Anthem will be sung and Taps performed.