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   Monday, May 29, is Memorial Day. Many Lakeland area events are being held in conjunction with the holiday. The following is a list of some of the area’s Memorial Day services and activities.

Buddy poppy sale

  VFW Post #772 will be offering Buddy Poppies in return for a donation on Friday and Saturday, May 26-27,  at various business locations in the communities of Longville and Remer. The Buddy Poppy slogan is  “to honor the dead by helping the living.” Donations received through the drive are used to fund programs at Veterans hospitals and homes throughout Minnesota, in addition to aiding active service members and families as needed. 

Backus

   Commander of Backus American Legion Brad Taylor, U.S. Navy, retired will deliver the Memorial Day address at Evergreen and Ponto Lake cemeteries conducted by the Backus American Legion, Auxiliary and Sons of the Legion.    

      Backus services will begin at 10 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery, and the Ponto Lake service will follow the conclusion of the Backus memorial at approximately 11 a.m., both on Monday, May 29. In event of bad weather, services will be moved to the Legion hall in Backus and Ponto Lake Town Hall. A lunch will be served at approximately 1 p.m. at the Legion Club following the Ponto Lake service.

Hackensack

   The Hackensack American Legion, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion will conduct Memorial Day services again this year. The services, conducted by the Auxiliary, will start at the Finnelly Cemetery just off 43rd Avenue NE on Sunday, May 28 at 1:00 p.m. The Finnely Cemetery contains the graves of about 30 early settlers to the Hackensack area. The first burial was 1900 and the last was 1923 when the cemetery was closed. The cemetery fell into disrepair until it was reclaimed by the Auxiliary about 30 years ago. Some graves are unmarked and some are simply marked with a rock while others are marked with a simple concrete or limestone marker. 

   On Monday, May 29th at 10:00 AM, the Hackensack American Legion Post 202, Auxiliary and the SAL will present a Memorial Day service. The service will start at 10:00 AM at the Cass County Killed in Action Memorial in the City Park across the street from the Post Office in Hackensack. The service will include a parade to the Boy River where a wreath will be placed to honor Navy and Coast Guard veterans. 

   Beginning at 10:30 a.m., formal services will be held at the Hillcrest Cemetery. The service will include a roll call of deceased veterans from all conflicts, including some from the Civil War. The guest speaker will be Pastor Leif Espeland from St Paul’s Lutheran Church. Pastor Leif was a chaplain in the Air Force and retired as a Major.  

   In the event of rain, services will be held at the Hackensack American Legion. 

Longville

  Longville’s Memorial Day Program will begin at 9:30 a.m., on Monday, May 29, at the Longville Fire Hall. Sherman A. Yocum VFW Post #772 Honor Guard will provide military honors. The Longville Community Choir will also perform. The guest speaker this year will be Captain Patty Burns. 

   Captain Burns is a retired Navy nurse with 30 years of service starting in the Navy Reserves in St. Paul and ending as the Director of Nursing at the US Naval Hospital in Naples, Italy.

Remer 

   Remer’s Memorial Day Program begins at 2 p.m., on Monday, May 29, at the Fairview Cemetery. VFW Post #772 will be providing military honors and honor guard.

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