Memorial Day ceremonies are planned

Veterans organizations are planning several opportunities to commemorate Memorial Day weekend in the Camas-Washougal area.

Originally called Decoration Day, it is a day of remembrance for those who have died in the nation’s service.

Fern Prairie Cemetery

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4278 will conduct a ceremony Saturday, at 11 a.m., at the Fern Prairie Cemetery, 25700 N.E. Robinson Road, Camas.

The names of veterans buried at the cemetery will be read aloud. Refreshments will be served, and genealogy books will be available to view.

Fern Prairie Cemetery board members and volunteers will be available to answer questions Saturday, Sunday and Monday, from 9 a.m. to dusk.

For more information, contact the cemetery at 833-9176, Secretary Eileen Abernathy at 852-4103 or Board Chairman/Caretaker Will Zalpys at 608-2258.

Camas Cemetery

A flag ceremony, involving Boy Scout Troop 562, will be held Monday, at 9 a.m., at the Camas Cemetery, 630 N.E. Oak St.

Members of VFW Post 4278 will supervise Boy Scout Troop 565 and Cub Scout Packs 424 and 610 as the scouts place small flags at each veteran’s grave site Saturday, at 2 p.m.

A master list of all veterans buried at the Camas Cemetery is maintained and updated by Gary and Linda Dowler.

Forty-five American flags, 13 state flags and five service flags will be placed around the cemetery Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings and taken down in the afternoon.

Members of the Friends of the Cemetery will be available to answer questions and help people find grave sites Saturday, Sunday and Monday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cemetery vases will be available for a donation.

Volunteers from the Friends of the Cemetery, Camas High School ASB, NorthLake Church, Camas United Methodist Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently cleaned up the cemetery grounds, in preparation for the holiday weekend.

For more information, call the cemetery at 834-4220 or Camas City Hall at 834-6864.

Washougal Memorial Cemetery

John Clapp will be the keynote speaker at a ceremony Monday, at 11 a.m., at the Washougal Memorial Cemetery, 3329 “Q” St.

The observance will be presented by American Legion Cape Horn Post 122, and the city of Washougal is helping to coordinate the ceremony.

Post Cmdr. Rick Branum will be the master of ceremony, and Washougal Mayor Sean Guard will provide a welcome message.

Military honors and the firing of a rifle salute will be provided by the American Legion Post Honor Guard, and members of VFW Post 4278 will present the national colors.

Commemorative wreaths will be presented by representatives of a variety of organizations including Spanish American War Veterans, World War I Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Navy Mothers, Gold Star Mothers, Vietnam Veterans, The Order of the Silver Rose and VFW Auxiliary.

Refreshments will be provided by the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary.

Small flags will be placed on the graves of veterans Sunday, at 1 p.m. Larger flags will be placed around the cemetery by Boy Scouts Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

For more information, contact Chris Fuller at 837-3470 or Washougal Parks, Cemetery and Facilities Manager Suzanne Grover at 835-2662.

Mount Pleasant Cemetery

The Mount Pleasant Cemetery, located at 111 Marble Road in Skamania County, is open daily from dawn to dusk.

The cemetery, which can be found off of Highway 14 at milepost 23, includes the grave sites of more than 70 pioneers.

Handicapped accessible parking is available adjacent to the cemetery, at the top of the hill.

The cemetery is owned by Ted and Kris Gowan. For more information, call (971) 533-1382.

Fort Vancouver

The Community Military Appreciation Committee will present a Memorial Day Observance Monday, at 11 a.m., at the Bandstand on the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Parade Grounds, just west of 1501 Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver.

Lt. Col. Brad Aiello, with the U.S. Marine Corps Sixth Engineer Support Battalion, will be the keynote speaker.

Retired Army Col. Larry Smith will be the master of ceremonies. Other speakers will include Tracy Fortmann, National Park Service superintendent, U.S. Army Col. John Sweeney, commander of the Second Brigade 95th Division, U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera-Beutler (R-Camas) and Vancouver Mayor Timothy Leavitt.

Vancouver Police Officer Rey Reynolds will sing the National Anthem. In addition to a dove release, there will be four color guards and the 204th Band will play a military medley.

In conjunction with this event, the National Park Service will host a soldiers’ bivouac living history encampment Monday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Free public parking will be at Hudson’s Bay High School, 1601 E. McLoughlin Boulevard, and C-TRAN will provide complimentary shuttle bus service from the high school parking lot to the event site.

For more information, call Larry Smith, co-chairman of the CMAC, at 910-8656, email vancouvertiger@comcast.net or visit www.cmac11.com.