RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — As Memorial Day arrives during the nation’s 250th anniversary year, residents in Riverside County will have several ways to pause, reflect and honor the men and women who died in service to the United States over its lengthy history.
Memorial Day, observed this year on Monday, May 25, is a day of remembrance for U.S. military personnel who died while serving. Across the country, Americans are encouraged to visit cemeteries and memorials, place flags or flowers at gravesites, attend remembrance ceremonies, and pause at 3 p.m. local time for the National Moment of Remembrance.
Memorial Day is traditionally a somber recognition of soldiers who died in the Revolutionary War and the American Civil War, fought to establish and maintain freedom and liberty for all, and in every subsequent war in which the U.S. has been involved.
In Riverside County, the Riverside National Cemetery will host an Honor Project event, giving volunteers a way to participate in a national remembrance effort during the country’s 250th anniversary.
"Volunteers will place handcrafted commemorative tokens at the interment locations of fallen heroes and pause for reflection over Memorial Day Weekend, according to the Riverside National Cemetery," a spokesperson for the Travis Manion Foundation said. Those who are interested in serving can register at the website: donate.travismanion.org.
In the Pass Area, Beaumont residents are expected to gather at the Beaumont Civic Center for a Memorial Day ceremony honoring fallen service members and local veterans remembered at the city’s memorial wall located at 2201 N. San Gorgonio Avenue.
In Banning, the city calendar marks Memorial Day on May 25, though no formal city ceremony details were listed in the calendar entry reviewed. Residents may choose to mark the day through private remembrance visits at San Gorgonio Memorial Park, where the Summit Cemetery District lists holiday gate hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Across Southwest Riverside County, residents can also attend Murrieta’s Memorial Day Observance Ceremony, planned for 8 a.m. at Town Square Park & Amphitheater.
Temecula will host its Memorial Day ceremony at the Duck Pond and Veterans Memorial, where residents can honor fallen service members. The city’s Flags of Honor display will also be on view from May 18 through June 1.
The Temecula Cemetery will also bear flags of honor at memorial gravesites, according to a spokesperson for the cemetery.
In Wildomar, residents are invited to gather at Wildomar Cemetery on Memorial Day for a 10 a.m. ceremony at the 21400 Palomar Street location. The city will honor those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. The city’s ceremony is being held in partnership with American Legion Post 200 and VFW Post 1508.
While no formal Lake Elsinore city Memorial Day ceremony was listed on the city’s special events calendar, residents may mark the day by visiting private cemeteries, visiting veterans' memorial spaces, or participating in nearby ceremonies. Elsinore Valley Cemetery grounds are open daily, according to the cemetery district.
Memorial Day Weekend is also often regarded as the unofficial start to summer.
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Banning, CA Patch
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