Mayor Gary Moore and Kewanee Veterans Council President Glenn Morey, take a moment to admire the wreath they have just laid at the memorial in Veteran’s Park, a feature of Monday’s Memorial Day program. [2025 Photo by Dave Clarke]

The Kewanee Veterans Council will hold its annual Memorial Day Service on Monday, May 25 at the Veterans Park in Kewanee.

The service will start at 10 a.m. and include the reading of the names of service members who have passed in the last year. The KVC has provided rites for 16 funerals this year, according to Jerry Thompson, finance officer for the organization.

The planned speaker for the event will be Councilman Adam Cernovich. The Kewanee mayor, other city officials and the Poppy boy and girl will also be in attendance.

Mayor Gary Moore will assist with the laying of the wreath.

The Kewanee High School Choir will perform the National Anthem and the KHS band will perform several musical arrangements.

In the event of inclement weather, the service will be held at the Flemish American Club, located at 313 N. Burr Blvd.

A volunteer plants a flag on the gravesite of a service member. [File photo 2023]

Volunteers needed to plant flags

Jerry Thompson is seeking volunteers to help place flags at veterans’ gravesites ahead of Memorial Day. This year, about 4,000 flags will be placed in area cemeteries in honor of local veterans.

Volunteers will be needed at two locations this year: Pleasantview Cemetery and Mineral Cemetery. Thompson said that since the Mineral American Legion has closed, many of its members have joined the Kewanee organization and requested that Legion Post 31 handle flag placement at Mineral Cemetery.

Those interested in helping are asked to meet at 8 a.m. Friday, May 22, at Pleasantview Cemetery.