Fallen heroes commemorated in ceremonies
Lou Marzeles
News Editor
For over more than 25 years, the American Legion has led Memorial Day commemorations throughout the Goldendale region, and on Monday the organization maintained that tradition with solemn ceremonies at three area memorial sites. Sizeable crowds turned out at Mountain View and Centerville cemeteries and Stonehenge War Memorial to honor the men and women in U.S. military service who gave their lives in defense of their country.
At Mountain View cemetery, long rows of cars lined almost the entire length of the cemetery roadways, colorful with the Avenue of Flags along the road shoulders.
A color guard procession, marching in military precision, began ceremonies at each location. Goldendale American Legion Commander Pete Petersen offered prayer to start the ceremonies, then spoke of the supreme sacrifice of the honored dead in military service. He emphasized their valor in serving to protect the cherished traditions and way of life in a free country.
Shannon Clarin then recited "In Flanders Fields," perhaps the most celebrated poem of honor to military fallen heroes. Written by Canadian officer John McCrae in 1915, its famous lines begin, "In Flanders fields the poppies grow between the crosses, row on row..." Carla Sampson recited the response verse of the famed poem, which has the deceased saying, "We are the dead. Short days ago, we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow."
Wreath bearers proceeded to memorial graves and placed wreaths in shapes honoring the variety of world religions.
A rifle squad then fired a salute overhead, three rounds echoing across the landscape. Thereafter, trumpeter George Miner played a quietly stirring "Taps". There was respectful silence for long moments after the tune.
Among the crowds, talk before and after each ceremony reflected a deep appreciation for the significance of the day. "It's easy to just toss it off as another day you don't have to work," one onlooker said. "It's good to remember the history and meaning of the day. This holiday didn't just come out of nowhere."
"The Legion does a great job of this every year," a companion replied. "They did a lovely ceremony. I can't imagine a Memorial Day without this."
Hastings holds local town hall meeting
On the heels of celebrating the passage of the Ice Age Floods Bill, U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) holds a town hall meeting this afternoon at the Klickitat County PUD office in Goldendale, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The meeting aims to cover a review of the current economic situation, as well as the effects of cap and trade legislation and Hastings' work on the Natural Resources Committee in the House of Representatives. A question and answer period is to be included in the meeting.
Hastings is in the midst of a week-long tour through his congressional district. On Memorial Day, he spoke at Tahoma National Cemetery in Yakima as part of VFW Post 379's Memorial Day event. Tuesday he accepted a proclamation of thanks from the Douglas County PUD in Wenatchee, in recognition of his work in passing legislation that fixed a long-standing land transfer issue. The same day, he held a town hall meeting in Chelan County.
Hastings was in Richland Wednesday, celebrating the Ice Age Floods Bill passage, along with Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), with whom he worked for passage of the bill for the last five years. The bill establishes a National Geologic Trail through portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The trail will tell how a series of monumental floods created the unique geology of central and eastern Washington and is to be managed by the National Park Service in partnership with the Ice Age Floods Institute, participating states, tribes, and other local entities. Interpretive centers, signs and markers, exhibits, waysides, and roadside pullouts are to be used to tell the story of the floods, provide educational opportunities, and help enhance regional tourism.
Today, in advance of the town hall meeting, Hastings tours John Day Dam to receive a briefing on the facility's status. From 4 to 4:35 p.m. today, Hastings tours the PSE Natural Gas plant here in Goldendale.
Bluegrass festival headed for Goldendale
The City of Goldendale brings Fiddlin' Under the Stars, also known as the Goldendale Bluegrass, Wine, & Art Festival, to Ekoné Park this Friday and Saturday.
In past years, the bluegrass festival drew sizeable crowds and a NASA astronaut. This year it features six regional bluegrass bands, lots of festive food, hand-crafted items, and a variety of wines.
The festival this year is sponsored by the city, in conjunction with area businesses that are partially sponsoring the six musical acts which will be performing. These include Deadwood Revival, the Coyote Ridge Bluegrass Wranglers, Urban Monroes, Ida Viper, Chickweed, and Fiddlegrass.
A complete schedule of festival events is available at the Greater Goldendale Chamber of Commerce web site (www.goldendalechamber.org).
Events begin Friday afternoon, when Fiddlegrass starts playing at 2 p.m. Saturday's events begin at noon with Coyote Ridge. The schedule for both days goes well into the evening, with Friday's performances wrapping up at 10 p.m. and Saturday's at 9 p.m.
The event was largely invented out of thin air, according to its original organizer, Lorraine Reynolds. In 2007, she was trying to put together an event that coincided with a blue moon that year. "I was looking for something that worked well with 'blue,' Reynolds recalls. "Bluegrass is what came out."
Since then, bluegrass aficionados have discovered that the annual festival is indeed something to watch for, and the event is gathering renown.
Reynolds says that it was enough to draw the attention of NASA astronaut Stephen Robinson, himself a bluegrass musician, who came to highlight an early festival.
She also coined the term "camp 'n' jammers," for people who come to camp at the festival and then go from campsite to campsite jamming with fellow campers.
This year's festival looks to draw more camp 'n' jammers, as well as families, fun-seekers, and music lovers. |
