Sedalia Voiture 333, 40 & 8 will host its annual Memorial Day Picnic on Monday at Liberty Park. The event is a fundraiser that benefits the local community, taking in many different organizations.
Sedalia 40 & 8 Cmdr. Don Barbour said Tuesday this is the group’s largest fundraiser.
“It’s where we try to raise enough money to buy the JROTC trophies and the Cadet of the Month plaques, flags for first graders (and) nursing scholarships,” he said. “We gave away two $500 nursing scholarships this year, which we are really glad to do.”
The 40 & 8 also supply all the flags for downtown Sedalia, and sponsor bingo games at at the Veterans Home in Warrensburg each month.
“They have vending machines up there and with the money they can go buy crackers or pop,” he added.
Money raised from the event also helps to sponsor the home’s Scramble for Freedom Golf Tournament and the annual Run for Freedom.
At noon Monday, for $5 guests can eat a hamburger, hot dog or polish sausage, plus chips, baked beans, dessert and a drink. Entertainment will consist of Wesley Faithful Men of Wesley United Methodist Church and Dave and CJ Dunklee with the Healing Box Project.
Barbour said the seven men with Wesley UMC would be led by Ron Yates. The men will sing the national anthem plus three other selections. He said the Healing Box Project would perform the rest of the event, which is set to end at 3 p.m.
“We are inviting the people to to bring their tattered, torn, faded flags to us that day and we will retire them,” Barbour said. “We will retire them properly later on. The city (Sedalia) Fire Department has really been nice to us and have allowed me to have a controlled burn in my backyard in a barrel … and Larry Brooks who lives out in the country he helps. Then he and I will take grommets and the ashes from the flags and bury them where no body else knows about it. That’s the real proper calling of how to retire a flag.”
Barbour encouraged citizens to bring lawn chairs and stop by Liberty Park’s North Pavilion to enjoy an afternoon of food and entertainment.
Memorial Day activities will begin with the annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday at Crown Hill Cemetery. The annual event is sponsored by Sedalia area veteran organizations and this year is hosted by the The American Legion George A. Whiteman Memorial Post 642.
The ceremony will include a presentation of colors by National Champion Post 642 Color Guard (Military Class), laying of wreaths remembering those that died in all wars/conflicts, and guest speaker George Scarborough, a retired member of the Air Force and a Past American Legion State Commander.
Flags at Memorial Park
On Saturday, grave-marker American flags will be placed on each burial site in Memorial Park, Highland Sacred Gardens and Crown Hill cemeteries by veterans of the 40 & 8, VFW Post 2591 and George A. Whiteman Memorial Post 642, and the American Legion, with help from the Smith-Cotton JROTC, area Boy Scouts, the State Fair Community College Veterans Club and many other volunteers.
American Legion Post 642 will place flags at Memorial Park Cemetery at 6 a.m., VFW Post 2591 will place flags at Crown Hill Cemetery at 6:30 a.m. and 40 & 8 will place flags at Highland Sacred Gardens at 7 a.m.
Grave flags will be removed Monday after 5 p.m.
Family members of deceased veterans are asked to place a small stick with a white ribbon at their headstone or marker if it does not already indicate a veteran resides there. This will ensure each veteran is recognized.
Houstonia Cemetery
There will be a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the Houstonia Community Church at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Houstonia Cemetery.
La Monte
La Monte American Legion Post 520, along with the La Monte Ministerial Alliance, will host a Memorial Day service at 2 p.m. Sunday. Flags will be placed at La Monte, Stobley and Mt. Zion cemeteries. Guests are asked to bring a lawn chair. For more information call Melvin Ficken at 660-563-6789.
Mt. Herman Cemetery
The 21st annual Mt. Herman Cemetery Memorial Day Service will be hosted at 11:30 a.m. Monday. The service will include military honors by VFW Post 2591 and remarks by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cliff McBride. The service will be followed by a carry-in lunch. Those interested in attending the lunch are asked to bring a covered dish or dessert. The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Charles Wise at 660-221-6133.
Missouri Veterans Home
American Legion Post 131, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2513 and Whiteman Air Force Base are teaming up to host a Memorial Day program at 3 p.m. Monday at the Missouri Veterans Home, 1300 Veterans Rd. The public is invited to attend.
Audrey Warters will be the keynote speaker at this year’s ceremony. In January, she participated in the American Legion Department of Missouri’s Oratorical Competition. She was the winner for Missouri’s 6th District competition with her presentation “Constitution 9 News.” She progressed up the competition making it to the Department of Missouri finals. She will graduate from Raymore-Peculiar High School this May and has been accepted to attend Boston University. She plans to pursue a degree in international relations and political science.
Refreshments will be served following the program. For more information, call Latisha Koetting, supervisor of volunteer services, at 660-429-4661.
