This year, Memorial Day Services sponsored by American Legion Colin Hyde Post No. 172, will take place at two locations on Monday, May 27.

The general public is invited to attend the memorial ceremony at Bainbridge High, the purpose of which is to “honor our dead, remember the cause for which they fought and to affirm our trust in the future.”

Starting at 10:45 a.m., Legionnaires, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion members, local veterans, and the Public, will meet at the Veterans Memorial located at Bainbridge High School.

There, a very brief service will be conducted and individual members will decorate the area surrounding the monument with flowers and flags. The public is also invited to bring flowers.

Immediately following this event, all Legionnaires, Auxiliary and SAL members and invited guests are welcome to proceed to the post hall at 7880 NE Bucklin Hill Road for the main program, which will start at 11:20 a.m.

The guest speaker is Gunnery Sgt. Marcuss Hernandez from the U.S. Marine Corps Security Force Battalion, Submarine Base Bangor.

Additionally, the post extends an extra-special invitation to all Iraq and Afghanistan veterans on or from Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap, and all returning USS Stennis sailors and Marines as well as their families, to attend the post events.

Besides their participation in the formal services, Legionnaires will also be responsible for decorating the graves of all known veterans with flags at the five Bainbridge Island cemeteries, plus the Saint Barnabas interium and the Bethany Lutheran columbarium.

Grave decoration will be on the morning of Saturday, May 25, and the flags will be removed on Monday evening, May 27.

This will allow families to remember their loved ones during the full holiday period.

Post 172 will especially remember those brave Americans who have been killed or wounded in the war on terrorism.

American flags will be put up along Winslow Way by SAL Squadron 172 members on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27.

All Islanders are also urged to display their flags at their homes and businesses to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 172 will provide refreshments following the program.

Finally, an honor guard from the Colin Hyde Post sponsored Boy Scout Troop 1564 will raise the post flag at noon from half staff to full staff concluding the day’s activities.