Memorial Day weekend is upon us. There will be cookouts, families will get together and perhaps everyone will take in a parade.
The weekend is a time to remember those who have fallen in defense of the country.
I might be showing my age, but I can remember when it was called Decoration Day. When I heard that, I knew that my brother, sister and I would be piled into the car, among flower pots and gardening tools. My grandmother lived with us until I was in my early teens, so we would make the annual trip to the cemetery to plant flowers and “decorate” the graves for the holiday.
The holiday has been known as Memorial Day since 1966. I have always found it interesting that the day originally started after the Civil War to remember the fallen of what was arguably the most divisive time in our country’s history and we still honor the fallen 150 years later.

Buddy Poppies distributed at Madison Tractor Supply Co.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8548 will “Salute the Troops” between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. May 23 with the annual “Buddy Poppy” distribution. The distribution connects the VFW with the community, helps to recruit members and promote VFW programs. Stop by the Madison Tractor Supply Co. at 6603 North Ridge Road, Madison for a Buddy Poppy.

Sunday car and motorcycle cruise-in at Willowick post
The Veteran Car and Motorcycle Cruise-In will be noon to 4 p.m. each Sunday at American Legion Post 678, 590 E. 328th St. in Willowick. All cars and motorcycles are welcome.
A registration fee of $5 or a donation for the Homeless Veterans Shelter will be asked. The afternoon event will include food, drinks, prizes and a 50/50 raffle. For details, call the post home at 440-943-9659.

Painesville Legion serves lunch
American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will be serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For questions, call 440-357-7711.

Legion Riders host Ohio POW-MIA Wall
The American Legion Riders of Painesville American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host the Ohio POW-MIA Vietnam Memorial Wall on June 6 at the post. A ceremony will be presented by Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 Ohio at 1 p.m.
The event is open to the public and all are welcome to attend. The post will host a group of veterans from the Wade Park Veterans Affairs Medical Center for this event.
The public is encouraged to attend and to spend time with our veterans. For details, call the post home at 440-357-7711.

Legion hosts golf outing in Chardon
Atwood-Mauck Post 459 of the American Legion will host its sixth annual golf outing on June 6 at Pleasant Hills Golf Course, 13461 Aquilla Road in Claridon Township.
Sign-in time will be 10:30 a.m. For details, call Bruce Zupancic at 440-897-2396.

Fundraiser for Legion color guard
American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host a fundraiser for the color guard unit from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. June 20 at the post home.
The event will feature live music from Wicked Vinyl. For details, call the post home at 440-357-7711.

Marine Corps League hosts annual golf outing
The Col. J.M. Chambers Gene Deka Memorial Golf Classic will begin at 1 p.m. June 27 at Madison Country Club. The shotgun start will be 1 p.m. and all golfers are requested to use soft spikes only.
Tickets for this event are $80 and include lunch, dinner and refreshments, 18 hole scramble and cart. Prizes will be given for the longest drive, pin shots, a putting contest and more.
For tickets, make checks payable to the Col. J.M. Chambers Golf Classic, and mail to Detachment 555, 8720 Twinbrook Drive, Mentor, OH 44060 or call 440-974-9380. Reservation deadline is June 15.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

Armed Forces Day, May 16, is a day set aside to honor all of the service personnel of this country.
One of the lesser known holidays, the day was created in 1949 after the unification of all the branches of service under the newly created Department of Defense.
Celebrated on the third Saturday in May, many businesses offer discounts with a military ID; and ceremonies are held in some areas to honor the soldiers, sailors and Marines with songs, speakers and tributes.
The day offers the common citizen a way to say thank you to those who have protected and are protecting our country.

Children’s Museum observes 
Military Appreciation Day
The Children’s Museum of Cleveland, 10730 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland, will offer free admission for veterans and their immediate family with a military ID on May 16 and 17, in honor of Military Appreciation Day.
Visitors will be able to make cards that will be sent to the troops each day. The museum is open daily 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Regular admission is $8 for children and adults, and free for infants 11 months of age and younger.
For more information about the museum visit clevelandchildrensmuseum.org.

Catholic War Veterans membership drive
The Catholic War Veterans of Lake, John Paul II Post 1959, will host a membership and poppy drive at St. Cyprians Church, 4223 Middle Ridge Road in Perry Township, after all Masses, May 16 and 17.
The post also will be selling tickets for the reverse raffle that will be held Oct. 24 at the Patrician Party Center. Tickets for the annual event are $65 for main board and $35 for extra dinner ticket. Only 175 of the tickets will be sold. For information about membership or questions about the reverse raffle, call Bill Varga at 440-352-2315.

Polish legion auxiliary hosts golf outing
Polish Legion of American Veterans Ladies Auxiliary Chapter 31 in Cleveland will host a golf outing May 16 at Briardale Greens Golf Course, 24131 Briardale Ave. in Euclid.
The outing will begin with a shotgun scramble at 8 a.m. Tickets are $70 per person and include coffee and doughnuts, lunch at the turn, green fees and cart, and a full buffet dinner to follow at PLAV Post 31, 850 E. 200th St. in  Cleveland. Call 216-337-8997 or 216-337-8996 for details.

Operation STAT open house in Eastlake
Operation S.T.A.T. (Standing Tall for American Troops) will host an open house on May 16, at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake.
The event is open to the public and hamburgers and hot dogs will be available during the event. For details, call Adam Cook at 440-413-6225 or email him at Adam@operationstat.org.

Flag retirement ceremony 
at Veterans Park
Mentor VFW Post 9295 and Boy Scout Troop 75 will host a flag retirement ceremony at 1 p.m. May 17 at Veterans Park, 5730 Hopkins Road in Mentor.
Bring your old and worn flags for proper disposal. The public is welcome.

Blessing of the bikes in Hambden
Hambden Congregational Church, 13840 GAR Highway in Hambden Township, will welcome Rolling Thunder for a bike blessing and veterans tribute service on  May 17.
All motorcycles are asked to gather on Chardon Square at 9:30 a.m. for departure at 9:45 a.m. The service will begin by 10:30.
A picnic gathering will follow at Hambden Township Park, 9891 Old State Road, following the service.
 Please bring a dish to share. Hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks will be provided by Hambden Congregational Church, with cooking done by the Chardon VFW. Cleanup and other assistance will be provided by the Young Marines.

Legion will serve Big Boys
American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick, will host a Bob’s Big Boy Night from 5 to 7 p.m. May 18 at the post home.
The dinner is open to the public. For details, call the post home at 440-943-9659.

Painesville post hosts breakfast
VFW Post 2595, 570 Liberty St. in Painesville, will host a breakfast beginning at 9 a.m. May 17 at the post home.
The public is welcome. For details, call the post home at 440-354-9090.

Medal of Honor Stories presented 
at Perry Library
Historian Harold George, in full Civil War Uniform, will present a program about the Medal of Honor at Perry Public Library, 3753 Main St. in Perry Village, at 7 p.m. May 19.
More than 3,000 Medals of Honor have been issued for acts of bravery and heroism “above and beyond the call of duty.” However, in a few cases, the medal was awarded for rather unique, strange and less than glorious reasons.

Legion Riders host Ohio POW-MIA Wall
The American Legion Riders of Painesville American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will host the Ohio POW-MIA Vietnam Memorial Wall on June 6 at the post. A ceremony will be presented by Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 Ohio.
The event is open to the public and all are welcome to attend. The post will host a group of veterans from the Wade Park Veterans Affairs Medical Center for this event.
The public is encouraged to attend and to spend time with our veterans. For details, call the post home at 440-357-7711.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

May is military appreciation month. The Friday before Mother’s Day was designated as Military Spouse Appreciation Day in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan.
This day honors the silent service of the many spouses who pick up and move when military orders say they must. These are the partners who keep the home constant for the military members and their children. These spouses are the ones who become both mother and father when deployment orders are issued and the military member must leave for a far-off place.
These silent partners support the military careers of their spouses with grace, courage and quiet perseverance.
So on this Friday before Mother’s Day, a tip of the hat and a salute to those who follow their military members all over the globe and supporting them in the military career that they have chosen.

Squadron serves spaghetti for Mom
Civil Air Patrol Squadron OH 252 of Painesville will host a Mother’s Day spaghetti dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. May 9 at American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville. Mothers will eat free, dine in only.

Catholic War Veterans membership drive
The Catholic War Veterans of Lake, John Paul II Post 1959, will host a membership and poppy drive at St. Cyprian’s Church, 4223 Middle Ridge Road in Perry Township, after all Masses on May 16 and 17.
The post also will be selling tickets for the reverse raffle that will be Oct. 24 at the Patrician Party Center. Tickets for the annual event are $65 for main board and $35 for extra dinner ticket. Only 175 of the tickets will be sold.
For information about membership or questions about the reverse raffle, call Bill Varga at 440-352-2315.

Polish Legion Auxiliary hosts golf outing
The Polish Legion of American Veterans Ladies Auxiliary Chapter 31 in Cleveland will host a golf outing at Briardale Greens Golf Course, 24131 Briardale Ave. in Euclid.
The outing will begin with a shotgun scramble at 8 a.m. Tickets are $70 per person and include coffee and doughnuts, lunch at the turn, green fees and cart, and a full buffet dinner to follow at PLAV Post 31, 850 E. 200th St. in Cleveland. Call 216-337-8997 or 216-337-8996 for details.

Operation STAT open house in Eastlake
Operation S.T.A.T. (Standing Tall for American Troops) will host an Open House May 16 at VFW Post 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake.
The event is open to the public and hamburgers and hot dogs will be available. For details, call Adam Cook at 440-413-6225 or email him at Adam@operationstat.org.

Flag retirement ceremony at Veterans Park
Mentor VFW Post 9295 and Boy Scout Troop 75 will host a flag retirement ceremony at 1 p.m. May 17 at Veterans Park, 5730 Hopkins Road in Mentor.
Bring your old and worn flags for proper disposal. The public is welcome.

Blessing of the bikes in Hambden
Hambden Congregational Church, 13840 GAR Highway in Hambden Township, will welcome Rolling Thunder for a bike blessing and veterans tribute service on May 17.
All motorcycles are asked to gather on Chardon Square at 9:30 a.m. for departure at 9:45. The service will begin by 10:30 a.m.
A picnic gathering will follow at Hambden Township Park, 9891 Old State Road in Chardon, following the service.
Please bring a dish to share. Hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks will be provided by Hambden Congregational Church with cooking done by the Chardon VFW. Cleanup and other assistance will be done by the Young Marines.

Medal of Honor Stories presented at Perry Library
Historian Harold George, in full Civil War uniform, will present a program at 7 p.m. May 19 about the Medal of Honor at Perry Public Library, 3753 Main St. in Perry.
More than 3,000 Medals of Honor have been issued for acts of bravery and heroism “above and beyond the call of duty,” but in a few cases, the medal was awarded for rather unique, strange and less than glorious reasons.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.