By Jessica Fox
Veterans, their families and any member of the public are encouraged to attend Carmel’s Memorial Day ceremony at 9 a.m. May 23.
The event will take place at the Carmel Clay Veterans Memorial Plaza located on Third Ave. S.W. and City Center Drive.
The ceremony will include a speech by city attorney Douglas Haney, and Clay Township Trustee Doug Callahan will lead the Pledge of Allegiance with students from Midwest Academy.
The Keynote speaker is Robert Spanogle, who has been the national adjutant of the American Legion for 26 of his 36 years on staff.
Members of the local American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars will participate in a flag raising ceremony.
Carmel Elementary music teacher Cynthia Ensign Baney and Blair Clark will provide the ceremony’s music.
Everyone who attends will have the chance to place flowers at the memorial to honor all military veterans. Girl Scout troop 330 will help pass out the carnations.
Even the Barrington of Carmel is getting involved by taking its residents to the Memorial Day ceremony. The Barrington is also in the process of organizing a veterans club for the community.
“It is to the veterans who have been injured or hospitalized and truly given up so much, to whom I say ‘thank you,’ on days of observance like Memorial Day. I admire all who serve,” said Ray Casciari, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Barrington resident.
Casciari served in World War II and encourages everyone to take this day to reflect on all those who have served.
The rain location for the ceremony will be The Tarkington Theatre at the Center for Performing Arts across the street from the memorial plaza.
The memorial has undergone a clean-up in recent weeks. The water is now clear, clean-smelling and free of debris just in time for the ceremony. However damaged concrete surrounding the reflecting pool is still waiting on repairs.
