WAUSA – For the 105th year, the Wausa community will honor deceased military veterans during Memorial Day exercises on May 27.
The 2024 edition of the ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. inside the Wausa Auditorium. The event is sponsored by Earl Norman American Legion Post 63 and its Auxiliary.
This year, there are 312 graves and markers of veterans in the Wausa and Magnet communities. Crosses and flags will be placed on the veterans’ graves in cemeteries before the weekend.
Added since last year are the graves of: Don Tangeman in Woodlawn Cemetery, Dale Rosen in Woodlawn Cemetery and James Otteman in Woodlawn Cemetery. If people know of anyone else, they are asked to contact Judy Carlson.
A concert by the Wausa High School and Junior High bands, conducted by teacher Courtney Clausen, will open the event. Band members should report to the school by 9 a.m. in appropriate casual clothing.
The Color Guard and Honor Guard will advance, followed by older children carrying decorated crosses to be placed by the large memorial crosses in the auditorium park and younger children carrying poppies.
PMA Dick Bloomquist of Thabor Lutheran Church will lead the memorial prayer. The veterans’ memorial roll call will be read as children place poppies on a symbolic memorial field. Bloomquist will deliver the Memorial Day address followed by the benediction.
This year’s Vietnam veteran to be honored is Pfc. Robert Nelson. He died on July 27, 1967, while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.
After the retiring of the colors, the ceremony will move to the auditorium park.
The Memorial Day committees are: Flags and crosses at Thabor Lutheran Cemetery, Shirley Cunningham and Scott and Connie Bloomquist; flags and crosses at Woodlawn Cemetery, Randy and Beth Carlson and Rodney and Betty Banks; flags and crosses at Golgotha Lutheran Cemetery, Dwain Kumm; flags and crosses at Magnet Cemetery, the Mark Dawson family; and large flags to be placed at Lutheran and Woodlawn Cemeteries and park memorials, the Mark Dawson family.
Those planning to distribute the crosses and small flags may pick them up at the auditorium gym floor at any time between 1 p.m. May 22 and 5 p.m. May 23.
Crosses and flags should be returned to the auditorium gym floor by 9 a.m. May 29. Crosses are decorated and cleaned each year by Legion Auxiliary members, assisted by Future Business Leaders of America students.
Children, age four through sixth grade, are needed to take part in the program. Younger kids may participate if they wish to follow an older sibling. They are to meet in the basement of the auditorium at 9:45 a.m. May 27.
Ladies will guide the children as they come in and the kids may return to their parents after the veterans’ memorial roll call.
Members of American Legion Post 63 and other volunteer veterans are reminded they are needed for the Honor Guard, Color Guard and Firing Squad, and to be at the auditorium by 9:45 a.m. May 27.
