By Taylor Boyd
American Legion Post 105 and the Patrick County Veterans Honor Guard will hold a Memorial Day ceremony at Patrick Memorial Gardens at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 24.
Retired Maj. Andrew Shelton, USAF, said the ceremony will begin with an invocation, followed by the national anthem and a short poem honoring Memorial Day and fallen soldiers.
“Then we’ll read off the names of all the deceased that the Patrick County Honor Guard supported over the last year. Then we will perform the honor guard ceremony, which is a flag folding, ‘Taps,’ and a 21-gun salute,” he said.
Unlike previous years, Shelton said there will not be a guest speaker.
“We’re going to keep it short with the honor guard ceremony and then having the names read and then having the luminaries out there along in the gardens,” he said.
Luminaries honoring fallen veterans will also be available for purchase for $10.
“All we’ll need is the name of the veteran and any information they’d like to provide about them,” Shelton said. “The name, the service, and the era, the conflict if they were involved in one, or just the years they were in service.”
Families will be able to take the luminaries home after the ceremony.
Shelton said proceeds from luminary sales will be used to repair the post building and fund scholarships.
Donations may be sent to American Legion Post 105, 3765 South Mayo Drive, Stuart, VA 24171.
For more information, email Shelton at pcmapost105@gmail.com or andrewshelton.ads@gmail.com, or call 276-229-9425 or 228-383-4429.
