Memorial Day observances set throughout region

Beyond a day off school and work and picnics in the parks, Memorial Day will be observed through the long weekend in a variety of ways, from fun runs and car shows to flyovers, fireworks, flag-raisings and rifle salutes. The following are among the events scheduled:

Friday

Modesto: The Central Valley Knights Car Club weekend cruise night features all years of classic cars and motorcycles. There will be food available to purchase, raffles, music and other entertainment. The event runs from 4 to 9 p.m. at Regal Modesto Stadium 10, 3969 McHenry Ave. Entry fee is $20 per car. Free admission for spectators. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Modesto Vet Center, a Carpenter Road readjustment counseling service for all veterans. Services are provided at no cost to veterans or their families. The car club also makes a donation to Regal for charities it supports. To learn more, call (209) 632-1252.

Century 21 M&M and Associates Realtors for Veterans is hosting a tri-tip cook-off contest to support local veterans. The event, from noon to 3 p.m. at 605 Standiford Ave., also features a raffle and silent auction. The ticket cost is $15. Takeout is available. All proceeds will benefit the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3199 of Modesto. For more information, call Marya Pimentel at (209) 758-8188 or email mpimentel@c21mm.com.

Manteca: The Not Forgotten Memorial Day Weekend in Woodward Park includes the “American Veterans Traveling Tribute.” All memorials will be open to the public 24 hours a day through Monday at 3 p.m. Events Friday include a Manteca Regional School Rally at 6 p.m., with the young rock band High Voltage performing. Sunday’s schedule includes the Wounded Warrior Christopher Braley fun run/walk at 7 a.m.; the Marine Cpl. Charles O. Palmer II Memorial Car Show at 8; flyovers, performances, events and demonstrations throughout the day; and culminating with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. For a full list of scheduled events during the Not Forgotten Memorial Day Weekend, see thememorialweekend.org.

Saturday

Santa Nella: Stanislaus East Republican Women Federated will offer its fourth annual Memorial Day weekend “Flowers for our Fallen Soldiers,” when members and friends of the group travel to the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, 32053 W. McCabe Road, to place white carnations on the graves of veterans. They will meet at the cemetery’s administration building at 10 a.m. Anyone interested in participating in distributing the flowers or contributing for additional flowers can call President Liz Hart at (209) 765-9748 or Karen Dyrseth at (209) 470-5551. “We’ve already purchased quite a few flowers, so we’re really just looking for hands to help us,” Hart said Thursday. “We’ll be out there a couple of hours, but the more people, the less the time commitment.”

Modesto: The Modesto Memorial Classic 1-mile and 5k run and walk will be held at 7 a.m. at the Tuolumne River Lodge, 2429 River Road. The event includes a free kids fun run, along with post-race goodies and raffle. The entry fees run $10-$30, including a pancake breakfast prepared by the Modesto Vet Center.

Sunday

Santa Nella: The San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery will offer a program to remember and honor all military members, active and nonactive. Delivering the keynote address will be Bob Wieland, a motivational speaker who lost his legs in the Vietnam War. According to his website, Wieland, between 1982-86, walked across the United States on his arms in three years eight months. In 1994, he was named by People magazine as one of the “six most amazing Americans” of the past 20 years. The program begins at 10 a.m. at the cemetery, 32053 W. McCabe Road. Organizers advise early arrival to facilitate parking. To learn more, call the cemetery office, (209) 854-1040.

Atwater: Castle Air Museum will hold Open Cockpit Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. There will be helicopter rides, make-and-take model-building for kids, military and law enforcement displays, and a food court. More than half of the roughly 65 vintage aircraft will be open for viewing. This time around, the museum will feature some new aircraft as well as old. In March, a crew landed a Northrop-Grumman EA-6B Prowler, an electronic warfare jet, on the base, where it has been retired. It will debut at Open Cockpit Day. The B-52 bomber and B-36 Peacemaker, both massive aircraft, as well as the stealth SR-71 Blackbird, are popular with many visitors. Admission is $14 adults, $8 seniors (60 and over) and $5 for youths (6-17). Children under 5 and active-duty military personnel are admitted for free. The museum is at 5050 Santa Fe Drive. For more information, call (209) 723-2178 or go to www.castleairmuseum.org.

Monday

Hughson: At 1 p.m. at Lakewood Memorial Park, 900 Santa Fe Ave., Modesto American Legion Post 74 and veterans organizations of Stanislaus County will present their annual Veterans Memorial Day Service. Joe and Joseph Rykert will sing the national anthem, Joe Rykert will sing “God Bless the USA,” and lead attendees will sing “America the Beautiful.” The master of ceremonies will be A.E. Menshew, past commander of Post 74. The U.S. Naval Sea Cadets, Modesto Division, will post the colors. Keynote speakers will be: Frank Machado, past department commander, American Legion, Department of California, on the topic “How Lucky We Are”; Stanislaus County Supervisor Dick Monteith; and Adrian Condit, pastor of Freewill Baptist Church in Ceres. Also on the program, bagpiper George Harcrow will play “Amazing Grace” and bugler Wayne Hill will sound taps.

Modesto: At 11:30 a.m. at Acacia Memorial Park, 801 Scenic Drive, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3199 will conduct a service that will include speakers and a rifle salute. For more, call Acacia at (209) 522-0452. At 9 a.m., the American Legion and VFW will ceremoniously drop a wreath into the Tuolumne River from the Seventh Street bridge to honor those lost at sea. That event will include a rifle salute and bugler.

Patterson: Elijah B. Hayes American Legion Post 168 will have a ceremony at 10 a.m. at Patterson Cemetery. The service is honoring Vietnam veterans this year, on the 40th anniversary of the cease-fire.

Turlock: A ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at Turlock Memorial Park, 425 N. Soderquist Road.

Oakdale: VFW Post 2922 will hold a service at the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery, 701 E. J St., beginning at 11 a.m.. Limited seating is available.

Denair: A Memorial Day Gospel Fest will be held from 1 to 5:30 p.m. at Connecting Point Nazarene Church, 3200 Monte Vista Ave. Performing will be Dove Award winner Ann Downing, the Herb Henry Family, Regents, Grace Unlimited, Debt Free and Bridge of Grace. Admission is $13 in advance, $16 at the door. Call (209) 538-3838.

Ceres: A ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at Ceres Memorial Park, 1801 Whitmore Ave. Speakers will include Vice Mayor Bret Durossette, acting police Chief Brent Smith and Chance Condit from Assemblyman Adam Gray’s office. The program will include a rifle salute and pipes and drums.

Escalon: American Legion Post 263 will present a Memorial Day honor guard ceremony at three Escalon cemeteries; 10 a.m., Burwood; 11 a.m., St. John’s/St. Patrick’s; and noon, Farmington. For more information, call Jack O’Bayley at (209) 848-0839.

May 30

Livingston: At 5 p.m. at Livingston Memorial Park, at Park and Main streets, the Livingston/Delhi Veterans of Foreign Wars 8327 and the Ladies Auxiliary will hold their annual Memorial Day ceremony. Refreshments will follow at the Veterans Memorial Building, Seventh and Peach Streets. For more information, call Denis Wells at (209) 628-9196.

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Memorial Day observances set throughout region."