Ceremony at Memory Gardens follows community effort to place flags on veterans’ graves

Members of the Hancock County VFW Post 5186 will once again place American flags on the graves of those who served in the U.S. armed forces in cemeteries across Hancock County as Memorial Day approaches, with special remembrance for those who gave their lives in service. Community members are encouraged to join them in the days leading up to the holiday, helping place flags at veterans’ graves in cemeteries throughout the county, one headstone at a time.

Flag placement is scheduled to begin Thursday morning, May 21, with groups starting at Memory Gardens in Hawesville and then moving on to other sites across the county. Locations include Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Serenity Hills, Lewisport Cemetery and numerous smaller rural cemeteries. Volunteers work carefully to make sure each veteran’s grave is properly marked ahead of Memorial day as a visible tribute to their service and sacrifice.

Because there are dozens of cemeteries and hundreds of graves to cover, residents are encouraged to reach out ahead of time to find out where help is most needed. Community members can contact Post 5186 officers or other VFW members to be directed to specific locations, including church and family cemeteries.

Those interested in helping can contact U.S. Army veteran Homer Newman, Post 5186 commander, at 270-922-8785.

The annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held at Memory Gardens on Monday, May 25, where the Cannelton American Legion, Harry G. Myers Post 142, will host its traditional service at 11:45 a.m. The service will feature military honors, including a 21-gun salute, as well as prayer and a time of reflection.

Residents are encouraged to attend and join fellow community members in remembering those who did not return from service and all veterans who have answered the nation’s call. For the veterans and volunteers who spend the days leading up to Memorial Day placing flags at cemeteries from Hawesville to Lewisport and throughout the county’s rural areas, the ceremony at Memory Gardens serves as a meaningful conclusion — a moment to stand together and honor each life represented by those flags.