Memorial Day is a distinctive holiday with a distinctive purpose: Memorialize those who died defending the United States. Added to it is a memorial for all family members who no longer are alive. Memorial is a tribute and is final.
We can do memorials once each year, or, any time it fits the occasion. Organizations from military to governmental often are involved in planning and carrying out of memorials and remembrances.
The G.A.R. Military Museum on Downer Place in Aurora, has received four awards from the Illinois Associations of Museums. See below the Memorial Day listings.
Here are some communities with plans and the dates of memorials:
- Aurora: 10 a.m. parade downtown, Monday, May 29;
- DuPage County in Wheaton, 2 p.m. Sunday, May 28;
- Elgin: Veterans Memorial Park, 2:30 p.m. Monday, May 29;
- Geneva: from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. United Methodist Church Monday, May 29;
- Hanover Park: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Village Hall, Monday, May 29;
•Oswego: 7 p.m. to 7 p.m. May 28-29 downtown Oswego;
- Plainfield: Settlers Park May 27-29 and parade through downtown 10:45 p.m. Monday, May 29;
- Western Springs: 9 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. Monday, May 29, at Tower Green;
- Westmont: Parade, 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 29, Cass & Naperville Avenues, south to Veterans Park;
- Wood Dale: Monday, May 29, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the VFW;
- Yorkville: 11:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Monday, May 29, downtown parade to the Yorkville Town Square.
G.AR. (see above) in Aurora received awards for exhibits for the Through Calm and Tempest; for excellence in community partnerships; for excellence in programming for the July Summer Camp; and The Small Institute of the Year Award, presented to only one museum in the State and won only once each five years.