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Memorial Day observances will get under way at 11 a.m. this morning at the outdoor garden of the Pleasanton Senior Center.
The Pleasanton Community Concert band under the direction of Bob Williams will begin preliminary music at 10:30 a.m. with American Legion Post 237 Adjutant General Richard Ghera serving as master of ceremonies when the ceremony starts.
Guest speakers will include David Ham, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6298 in Pleasanton, the city’s Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, Army Command Sergeant Major Patrick McKie from Camp Parks and Joe Sweeney, civilian aid to the Secretary of the Army, Northern California.
The posting of colors will be handled by the VFW-American Legion color guard under the direction of John Delashaw (VFW – American Legion color guard, with the Pledge of Allegiance to be led by Carl Corbett, an Eagle Scout with Venture Crew 937. The national anthem will be sung by Georganne Seavey.
Following an invocation by Captain Matthew P. Holder, chaplain for the Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, the morning’s program of speeches will get under way.
A 21-gun salute, followed by the playing of taps, will conclude the program.
The Pleasanton Senior Center is located at 5353 Sunol Blvd., across the street from the Raley’s supermarket center where additional parking will be available.
Last Saturday as the three-day Memorial Day weekend started, Pleasanton Scouts placed special bronze grave markers with flags on veterans’ graves in the city’s Pioneer cemetery and at the adjacent St. Augustine Catholic cemetery yesterday.
The Scouts, under the direction of American Legion’s Pleasanton Post 237, spent about four hours decorating the gravesites of those who served in the military, When finished, both cemeteries offered a vision of patriotism for visitors and motorists passing by on Sunol Boulevard.
My Husband and I attended the tribute with my Dad, who almost 90 and a Veteran. The event was thoroughly enjoyable, very tasteful and fitting to those who have served. Thank you to all who participated in putting this together. My Dad was thrilled and commented several times on how much he enjoyed it. It was our first time attending and we hope to attend many more. I also thought it was particularly nice that the residents of the Parkview (most of whom are Vets) were able to easily participate in this event. Thank you again to everyone for a memorable morning.