Memorial Day services planned locally

VW independent staff

Memorial Day services will be held in Van Wert and Ohio City on Monday, May 29. Below is important information about each of the services, along with a free patriotic concert in downtown Van Wert.

Van Wert

American Legion Post 178 will be holding its annual Memorial Day service at Woodland Cemetery 11 a.m.

Post 178 will have echo taps and along with 21 gun salute, a single cannon fire to honor to the origin of Decoration Day, followed by the laying of the wreath.

The service will be followed by meal at the American Legion Post on W. Main St. immediately afterward. The public is invited and welcome to attend.

Ohio City

Harvey Lewis Post 346 will be having a Memorial Day service at 10:30 a.m. at Woodlawn Cemetery Veterans Memorial in Ohio City. The Van Wert Community Concert Band will begin performing at 10 a.m. Those attending will want to bring lawn chairs.

The speaker will be Daniel Stose, who was born and raised in Mercer County and served in the U.S. Marine Corps after high school.. After training was completed at Parris Island, South Carolina, he completed Presidential Support Duty in Washington, was deployed to Afghanistan and was honorably discharged in June 2012. Using the G.I. Bill, he attended Ohio State ATI in Wooster, majoring in crop management and soil conservation. He, his wife and two sons reside on the family farm where he grew up and farms with his dad and uncle also raising turkeys and pigs.

Following the program, food will be served in the Ohio City Community Building/Legion Post at Fireman’s Park. Everyone is welcome.

In case of inclement weather, the service will be held at the Community Building.

Concert

To kick off the Memorial Day weekend, the Van Wert Area Community Concert Band will present a patriotic concert at 7 p.m. Friday, May 26, at Fountain Park in downtown Van Wert. The concert is free to the public.

The band is directed by Richard Sherrick and has members from Van Wert, Ohio City, Delphos, Convoy, Chat, Middle Point, Coldwater, Ft. Wayne, Spencerville, Celina and Rockford.