Two Memorial Day annual observances to honor U.S. military personnel that have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces will be held in the county on Monday, Memorial Day.
The following ceremonies, located in Lake Leelanau and at the tip of the peninsula in Northport, are open to the public and will take place in the morning and feature various speakers honoring those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.
VFW Post 7731 members have organized a 10 a.m. service, which will take place at the county Veterans Memorial Plaza, on the grounds of the Leelanau County Government Center.
In case of rain, the ceremony will be relocated to the community room in the lower level of the government center. The VFW Little Finger Post 7731, located in the heart of Leelanau County, was first formed in 1946 by several Leelanau veterans of World War II.
Ret. Major General Michael Lehnert is the keynote speaker. The Rev. James Siler, pastor of Lake Leelanau St. Mary, will offer an invocation.
Also planned is a musical salute to branches of the service. Rachel Amalifitano will lead the group in singing the national anthem; “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America” with students from St. Mary School.
Following the ceremony, the public is invited to an open house at the VFW hall, to hear about the Post’s building project.
In Northport, the annual Memorial Day observance ceremony is set for Monday at 10:30 a.m. at Leelanau Township Cemetery. If it rains, the ceremony will be moved to the Northport Public School auditorium.
Prior to the ceremony, Rolling Taps, the national song of remembrance, will begin at 10 a.m. and will be performed throughout the village by members of the Northport Community Band. The Village Voices will also perform during the ceremony, and Stef Staley, the Grand Traverse Lighthouse executive director, will serve as emcee. The Rev. Lynne Fry, Northport’s Trinity Church minister, will deliver a Memorial Day benediction. Guest speakers at the ceremony include Justina Hlavka, Paul Sloan, and John Mitchell.
