Memorial Day weekend events will be paying tribute to those who gave their lives for American freedom.
Events are scheduled on Sunday in Moreland and on Monday in Newnan and Senoia. Continuing a long tradition, the Moreland Community Historical Society will hold a reception for all veterans at the Moreland Mill on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Josh Evans, MCHS president, said there will be a special focus on veterans from the Vietnam War era this year, although all veterans are invited.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2667 will hold ceremonies at Veterans Memorial Plaza on Jackson Street at Temple Avenue in Newnan at 11 a.m. Monday.
This year’s ceremony will be titled “Five Gold Stars,” in honor of five additional names recently placed on the Veterans Plaza honor rolls.
The Gold Star, often seen on window banners, symbolizes the loss of a family member killed in action. During the past year, it was discovered that two men from Coweta County killed in action during Vietnam were overlooked on the original honor roll. They are John Dozier and Daniel Post.
Also, three Cowetans have died serving in combat in the last two years – Chad D. Coleman, Adrian G. Mills and Nicholas S. Whitlock. Family members of all five fallen warriors have been invited to attend the ceremonies at Veterans Memorial Plaza.
Commemorative bricks had been purchased by the VFW for the five men being honored and for Richard E. Clapp, a Korean war serviceman who has relatives here and whose remains were recently identified after 62 years, and for Michael C. Braden, whose family recently moved to Newnan and who recently died in Afghanistan.
After the Newnan ceremonies, the Coweta Veterans Club will hold a dinner for the public. Food will be served from 12:30-2 p.m. so that the crowd can be accommodated. Citizens needing additional information are asked to call the Coweta Veterans Club at 770-251-6949 any day after 4 p.m.
The Senoia Downtown Development Authority holds a daylong celebration each Memorial Day. The seventh annual observance starts Monday at 10 a.m. Vendors will be selling antiques and handmade arts and crafts in the downtown area, and entertainment will start at 10.
The 116th Army Band, Civil and Revolutionary War re-enactors, veterans, civic groups, businesses, Scouts and Shriners are scheduled to be in the annual Memorial Day parade which will begin at 2 p.m.
World War II veterans will serve as the grand marshals.
A pre- and post-parade show will be emceed by Scott Sargeant and Charlie Filkins,The Car Guys. Speaker for the Memorial Day program is Col. Brent Bracewell, director of the Joint Staff, Georgia National Guard.
Entertainment, a food court, children’s activities and vendors will be available throughout the day. A fireworks show – sponsored by the City of Senoia – will begin at dark at Marimac Lakes Park on Pylant Street.
This Memorial Day weekend will include the annual “Buddy Poppy” drive, during which VFW members stationed in local venues seek donations that are exclusively used to help veterans and veterans’ families and scholastic patriotism programs.
Also on Saturday, Coweta Veterans Club will conduct the annual flag placement on veterans’ graves in local cemeteries. Those wishing to participate are asked to assemble at the Veterans Club on U.S. Highway 29 north of Newnan, across from A&W Nursery, at 8:30 a.m. or meet at the entrances to designated cemeteries. The Veterans Club will make available a limited number of flags for local church and private cemeteries.
