The Mount Gilead Memorial Day events will begin with a parade at 1 p.m. on Monday May 31, followed by a ceremony at Rivercliff Cemetery.
Following the ceremony, participants will walk to the Veterans Memorial at the Morrow County Courthouse on East High Street and place wreaths at the memorial.
Pastor Jeff Canankamp of Trinity United Methodist Church will give the invocation and the roll call of veterans. The welcome, Pledge of Allegiance and introductions will be led by Tim Sharrock, U.S. Army Officer during the Vietnam conflict.
Boy Scout Troop 56 will place flowers at the memorial and Sharrock will read General Logan’s Orders.
The Mount Gilead Memorial Day Parade will form at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 31 at the Cherry Street school building. Starting time for the parade is 1 p.m.
The parade will leave the school; follow west on West Union Street, then east to Main Street and south on Main Street to Marion Street. Parade participants are to turn left on Marion Street and proceed to the Rivercliff Cemetery.
Ceremonies at the cemetery will begin at 1:30 p.m.
The speaker for the ceremony will be Tom Whiston, a lifelong resident of Morrow County and a Morrow County Commissioner. He graduated from Mount Gilead High School and received his pharmacy degree from The Ohio State University. He served as Mayor of Mount Gilead and currently is Chairman of the Morrow County Commissioners.
He is second Vice President of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio. Whiston is past president of the Ohio Pharmacist’s Association and continues to practice pharmacy at Discount Drug Mart. He is father of four, grandfather of three and a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
The Mount Gilead Marching Band with Director Ross Runyan will play the National Anthem and members of the band will play taps following the rifle salute.
The rifle salute will be commanded by Mike McKinney. Members of the Color Guard and Firing Squad include: Tom Graham, Harlen Park, Bill Mills, Frank Moore, Steve Montell, Richard Braddock, Erick Shaffer, Sam Beal, Jerry Jagger, Brenda Harden, Gary Baker, Don Broadwater, David Broadwater and Don Broadwater, Jr… They are members of the Nelson E. Campbell, Jr. V.F.W. Post 8054. Gary Dilsaver, Alan Forry, Chad Remy, Sam Reeve, Brandon Altstadt and Rob Thompson are members of Mount Gilead AMVETS Post 87.
Parade and program participants and their families are invited to a lunch at the V.F.W. Post 8054 at 4960 SR 61 following the ceremony.
Veterans groups give special thanks to Cub Scout Pack 56 of Mount Gilead for placing flags at Rivercliff Cemetery, thanks to the Police Department for traffic control and to Mr. and Mrs. Roger Wren for supplying the sound system for the ceremony.
