Local observance to remember veterans to be conducted in Fernley and Fallon

Flags will be placed this weekend at veterans’ graves at cemeteries across the United States and overseas as well as at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, the Churchill County Cemetery, the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Cemetery and The Gardens.
Photo by Steve Ranson.

By Steve Ranson

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

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Memorial Day activities will be lowkey at the area’s cemeteries, while a number of groups across the region are inviting the public to their events to honor deceased who have served their country.

The Nevada Department of Veterans Services is conducting in-person, flag-in and Memorial Day events this year, and because of COVID-19 protocols as mandated by local jurisdictions, the events will be shortened.

The flag-in falls on Saturday. According to the NDVS, as participants arrive at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, attendees will be assigned to sections of the cemeteries for flag placement. The flag-in begins at 9 a.m.

“The cemetery will have an abbreviated ceremony,” said Brett Palmer, president of the Nevada Veterans Coalition. “Our speaker this year will be Congressman Mark Amodei.”

Steve Ranson / LVN
Barbara Hawn, president of the Washoe Republican Women, presents a check from books sales of the “Legacies of the Silver State: Nevada Goes to War” to Jon Yuspa executive director of Honor Flight Nevada.

The Carson City native represents Congressional District 2. Amodei has served in Congress since 2011, received a commission in the U.S. Army and served as a captain in the Judge Advocate General Corps. Locally, he has also been involved with the Fallon Range Training Complex modernization plan and veterans’ issues.

The abbreviated ceremony on Memorial Day at the NNVMC begins at 11 a.m., and at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City at 1 p.m. where Gov. Steve Sisolak will attend a short ceremony.

The Centers for Disease Controls recently issued new COVID-19 guidelines that became effective immediately. The NDVS said if people who have been vaccinated are no longer required to wear a mask in both settings, indoor or outdoor.

“In this case, you will not be required to wear a mask, if you are vaccinated,” the NDVS stated in a release. “However, as always, we are ask attendees to be respectful of those who may still choose to wear their mask.”

Churchill County will have three Memorial Day observances beginning with the Churchill County Cemetery at 11 a.m., the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe’s cemetery at noon and the Gardens Funeral Home’s veterans’ section at 1 p.m.

Mike Terry of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1007 said flag placement at the county cemetery is at 8 a.m. on Sunday and removal is Monday at 5 p.m. He said volunteers are needed to assist with either the placement or removal of more than 1,000 flags.

Flags are lowered to half-staff on Memorial Day to honor veterans who gave of themselves in service of the United States.

HONOR FLIGHT NEVADA
A “Community Coffee” sponsored Jim4Heroes, KOH Radio News Talk and the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno is an event to bring the community together to honor, respect and remember Memorial Day — as it was intended.

The “Community Coffee” is Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Atlantis Casino’s west parking lot. Organizers are encouraging attendees to bring a chair and “tailgate together” or bring a favorite car, truck, bike or tank for an old-time get together. There will be free hot and cold beverages and Danish pastries. Honor Flight Nevada partners include the Blue Star Mothers, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Elks Lodge Reno, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans #1, Paws for Passengers, Patriot Guard Riders, Nevada Veterans Coalition, Quilts of Valor and many other partners.

Authors Steve Ranson and Ken Beaton, who write military and veterans-related articles for the Nevada News Group — which includes the Nevada Appeal, Lahontan Valley News and the Record-Courier — will be selling “Legacies of the Silver State: Nevada Goes to War.” Profits from each sale go to Honor Flight Nevada, and since its official roll out on Nov 11, 2020, the book has raised more than $12,000 for veterans to go on a flight.

Recently, the Washoe Republican Women’s group presented a check to Honor Flight for selling 79 copies of the book.

“Legacies of the Silver State” has been featured on every Reno television station, the program “Aging and Awesome,” a number of radio stations, major and weekly Nevada newspapers and KFBK Radio in Sacramento. The authors have spoken to civic organizations about the book, and the stories included in the 71 chapters.

COMMUNITY COOKOUT
A Memorial Day Community Cookout, the first of its kind in Fallon, will be held on Memorial Day from noon to 4 p.m. at Oats Park. Sponsored by a number of businesses, the event will open with the Naval Air Station Fallon chaplain and color guard, and Valerie Bell will sing the national anthem. The Fallon Equestrian team will also have a performance.

Providing the music are Steven Ryan Christie and Larry Little & Friends. Volunteers from the Northern Nevada First Class Petty Officers Association will serve hamburgers, hot dogs and side dishes free of charge.

Tickets for games and vendors will be on sale for $1 or 10 for $8. The tickets can be redeemed to buy gifts or treats to play games. Also at the community cookout will have a bounce house, bingo, dunk tank, Birdie in the Bucket and Blazing Lazing laser tag.

All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Rural Emergency Assistance Project (REAP) and also directly support the Fallon Community Soup Kitchen.

Steve Ranson / LVN
Mike Terry, a Navy veteran and member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1007 in Fallon, speaks at a Memorial Day ceremony in 2019.
Events, ceremonies honor Memorial Day

Local observance to remember veterans to be conducted in Fernley and Fallon

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