Memorial Day activities to be curtailed by virus lockdown

Safer at Home restrictions will limit Legion observances
By 
DAN BENSON
Ozaukee Press Staff

Among the casualties of the Safer at Home lockdown will be Saukville’s annual Memorial Day observances, including its parade and possibly its graveside ceremonies.

“It’s the governor’s order, and we have to follow it,” Landt-Thiel American Legion Post 470 Commandant Denise Jamrozy said.         “If he releases it, we will only have the 21-gun salute honor guard at the cemetery. It would not be open to the public.”

Jamrozy and Post Auxiliary President Mary Ellen Race said Legion members will still place flags on veterans’ graves at Saukville’s two cemeteries and at St. Finbar’s Cemetery in the Town of Saukville. However, they will do so without the aid of local Scouts, six to eight of whom traditionally help place flags, Jamrozy said. 

“The Boy Scouts are not letting the Scouts put the flags out, so it will only be eight adults who will be doing it,” she said. “They have a map and they know where the markers are.

“Not having a parade is a big thing for us.” 

Besides honoring veterans who died for their country, the parade and the post’s other Memorial Day activities include recognizing students from the Port Washington-Saukville and Northern Ozaukee school districts, St.  John XXIII and Divine Savior Catholic schools and Ozaukee Christian School for patriotic essays and the awarding of scholarships.

Also recognized are local students entering the military and participants in Badger Boys State and Badger Girls State.

Jamrozy said the hope is to honor those same students, including this year’s high school graduates, if possible, at next year’s parade along with next year’s honorees.

“It will be a whammy of a parade next year,” she said.

The coronavirus outbreak has halted most of the Legion’s other activities and cut into fundraising that supports veterans programs, such as Camp American Legion, a rehabilitation center and weekend camp for veterans that was established in the 1920s. 

The auxiliary’s annual distribution of poppies for Memorial Day has also been canceled. Other activities that have been postponed or canceled include the post’s annual rummage sale, bingo nights and brat fries. 

“We might do a brat fry with curbside pick-up, and we’re pushing for October to do the rummage sale,” Jamrozy said.

And with Legion Hall closed, the post has lost out on hall rental revenues.

“Hopefully in November, this will be under control, and we will be able to celebrate Veterans Day,” Jamrozy said.

Saukville’s July 4 parade, fireworks and other festivities have not been canceled but are in doubt, Village President Barb Dickmann said. “We are still discussing,” she added.

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Wisconsin’s largest paid circulation community weekly newspaper. Serving Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, Fredonia, Belgium, as well as Ozaukee County government. Locally owned and printed in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

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