Ceremonies will be conducted throughout the Flathead Valley to commemorate Memorial Day.

Here are the highlights:

v Columbia Falls American Legion Post 72 will conduct a formal wreath-laying from the U.S. 2 bridge on Memorial Day in honor of all service people lost at sea. The public is invited to attend.

The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Wall in Marantette Park with a march or walk to the bridge for a short memorial service. Participants will return to the Memorial Wall for the United Veterans of the Flathead Valley service at about 2:30 p.m.

Twelve members of the American Legion recently cleaned the Memorial Wall and painted 28 highway marker crosses.    

v A benefit for the Northwest Montana Stand Down and Veterans Food Pantry is from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Laughing Horse Lodge on Montana 83 in Swan Lake.

Beer and bratwurst will be available. The Montana Highland Pipe and Drum Corps will perform.

A $10 donation is requested plus one canned food item.

For more information, call 406-886-2080.

v A Memorial Day parade is planned at 3 p.m. Monday in downtown Whitefish. The parade starts at Whitefish Middle School. A wreath laying at the Veterans Memorial Bridge is at 3:15 p.m.

The parade continues to the Whitefish Cemetery with a guest speaker. An after-parade feed follows at 4 p.m. at the VFW on Baker Avenue.

Contact Ken with questions at 361-3231.

v Ceremonies in Bigfork will take place at 10 a.m. Monday at the Bigfork Community Cemetery and again at 10:30 a.m. at the Little Brown Church, where there will be a prayer, rifle salute and the playing of “Taps.”

v United Veterans of the Flathead Valley will present military honors at various locations and cemeteries on Monday. The public is invited to attend these ceremonies at any location:

10:30 a.m. — Ceremony at Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Kalispell.

11 a.m. – Ceremony at Veterans Memorial, Depot Park, Kalispell.

11:45 a.m. — VFW Post 2252 luncheon, Kalispell.

12:30 p.m. — Ceremony at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery, Kalispell; retire flag and raise new flag.

1:45 p.m. — Ceremony at Fairview Cemetery, 1225 Fairview Cemetery Road south of Columbia Falls. Following the presentation by the Honor Guard, Kelly Hartman will officiate at a service at 2 p.m. For more information, call Wanda Haugen at 250-5038.

2:30 p.m.— Ceremony at Veterans Memorial, Marantette Park, Columbia Falls

3 p.m. — Ceremony at Woodlawn Cemetery, Columbia Falls

3:30 p.m. — Ceremony at Veterans Home Cemetery, Columbia Falls

United Veterans of the Flathead Valley is made up of veterans organizations in the valley, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Marine Corps League and their auxiliaries and the National Guard. The various units pay yearly dues to United Veterans to cover their members. Any member of any unit may participate in United Veterans meetings and become a member of the Honor Guard, as well as any honorably discharged veteran.

Honor Guard members are all volunteers. Current membership is approximately 25.  

The United Veterans provide the Honor Guard to perform military honors for any deceased veteran.  

 United Veterans are asked to perform at flag raising ceremonies, parades and other events. United Veterans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization and accepts donations. This money enables United Veterans to provide uniform jackets, gloves and ascots for the Honor Guard. Each member provides a white shirt to be embroidered with the logos, black pants, black shoes and a military uniform hat.  

Services are held for 60 to 100 veterans yearly. Anyone interested in joining the Honor Guard may contact Jim Heibert at 862-4182.