Memorial Day ceremonies

On Monday, May 29, Memorial Day programs will be held at Monument Hill Cemetery, Riverside Cemetery and Park Street Bridge. The program at Monument Hill will begin at 11 a.m. and then they will travel to Riverside and then to the bridge.

Memorial Day has its roots in Decoration Day, which dates back to the Civil War, when citizens placed flowers on the graves of those who had been killed in battle. After World War I, it came to be observed in honor of those who had died in all U.S. wars, and its name was changed.

Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971.

The American holiday is an opportunity to honor military personnel who died while serving their country in the U.S. military.

Take a youngster, or someone who has never attended the ceremonies, and show them Memorial Day is about more than a cookout and a day off. Its about honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.