How to Plan a Memorial Day Cemetery Service
A Memorial Day cemetery service is a staple of the holiday. Honoring those who serve the country and those who have given their lives, as well as loved ones who have passed, makes the cemetery an ideal location to host a service. Keeping it simple and enlisting the help of several community groups makes your job easier. Read on to learn how to plan a Memorial Day cemetery service. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Look for a band to perform during the Memorial Day cemetery service. Look for local school bands, small community groups or a band made of veterans or service men from your area. Suggest songs, or leave the song selection up to the band. Ask for a list of songs to be approved before the event.
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Inquire with your local veterans or national guard organization to help in the preparations if they are not part of the group making the plans. Locate a color guard which they should be able to provide.
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Find at least one speaker. Look for local war heroes, veterans or other distinguished members of the armed forces to give either one slightly longer speech, or find a few to speak for short amounts of time. Check with local churches for clergy to give a prayer as part of the program.
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Enlist the help of local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts during the Memorial Day cemetery service. They can be part of the color guard, distribute song sheets, programs or place flowers on graves.
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Check the cemetery the week before to make sure it is being groomed and prepared for the holiday. Ask keepers to have lawn mowed and flowers arranged nicely prior to the Memorial Day service.
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Finalize a program that includes music as a prelude to the Memorial Day service, speeches, a prayer, a memorial honoring fallen soldiers, music selection to include TAPS and a presentation by local Boy and Girl Scouts.
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Tips & Warnings
Set up at the cemetery the morning of the Memorial Day service. Make sure there are chairs for the elderly. While most people are able to stand, there should be a designated handicap area.
Advertise the Memorial Day service in the community events section of the local newspaper or radio shows.
If the cemetery isn't looking up to par, you may need to enlist some volunteers to mow, groom and place flowers before the event.
