Flags around Austin, Mower County and Minnesota will be lowered to half-staff Monday to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country for Memorial Day.

“Everyone has lost people in wars,” Memorial Day Committee President Norm Hecimovich said. “Freedom comes at a very high price.”

Veterans and citizens in Austin and surrounding areas will hold annual services to recognize veterans, as well as those who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. Memorial Day events will begin at 6:50 a.m. with the flag raising at the Veterans of Foreign War club and American Legion in Austin.

The parade will begin at 8:45 a.m. and will be followed with a service at Oakwood Cemetery at 9:30 a.m.

“We take pride in our work,” Hecimovich said.

The holiday dates back over 150 years ago to 1865 when it was previously known as Declaration Day. According to Hecimovich, over 1.2 million Americans have lost their lives in wars.

“Everyone has lost people in wars,” he said. “Freedom comes at a very high price.”

“We have to honor those people who were willing to sacrifice their lives,” Hecimovich said.

Hecimovich is a retired and decorated U.S. Army veteran who served in the Korean War, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. He believes it is everyone’s duty to take a moment and appreciate the rights and freedoms that veterans have fought for.

“There are freedoms we have [in this country] and take for granted. We only have those because people were willing to stand up and fight for them,” he said.

Austin Memorial Day

•6:50 a.m. — Flag Raising at VFW and American Legion

•7 a.m. — Breakfast at VFW Post 1216

•7:45 a.m. — Raise Flag and Program at Veterans Memorial at the Mower County Courthouse

•8:30 a.m. — Parade Line-up Fourth Avenue NE

•8:45 a.m. — Parade (Fourth Ave. NE & Main St.)

•9:30 a.m. — Memorial Day Service at Oakwood Cemetery

•10:15 a.m. — Honor Navy, Marine, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines tribute to those buried at sea at The Horace Austin State Park Bridge

 Cemetery Services

•11 a.m. — Calvary Cemetery by American Legion; Grandview Cemetery by VFW/DAV

•11:30 a.m. — Lansing by American Legion; Enterprise by VFW/DAV

•Noon — Midway/Oakland by VFW/DAV

Order of Services

Veterans Memorial at 7:45 a.m.

•President: Norman E. Hecimovich

•Invocation: Pastor Marvin Repinski

•Flag Raising (all flags): Larry Priebe “To the Colors”

•National Anthem: Sarah Hecimovich

•Talk & Dedication: Norman E. Hecimovich

•Present the Wreath: American Legion, DAV, VFW Commanders & Auxiliary

•Firing Salute: Rollie Hanson w/ American Legion

•Taps: Larry Priebe

•Benediction: Pastor Marvin Repinski

Order of Service: Soldiers Monument Service at Oakwood Cemetery at 9:30 a.m.

Units taking part in this service at the Soldier Monument will proceed to Oakwood Cemetery immediately following the parade.

•Acting Chairman — Roger Reller

•Invocation — Pastor Marvin Repinski

•National Anthem — Sarah Hecimovich

•God Bless America — Austin High School Band

•Talk — James N. Hecimovich

•Dedication of Tributes: Roger Reller

•Firing Salute — Rollie Hanson/American Legion

•Taps — Larry Priebe

•Benediction — Pastor Marvin Repinski

Order of Service: Horace Austin State Park Bridge at 10:15 a.m.

All service organizations will participate in the Navy, Marine, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines tribute to those buried at sea immediately following the service at Oakwood.

•Acting Chairman — Roger Reller

•Invocation — Pastor Marvin Repinski

•Tossing of the Memorial Wreath by Auxiliary Presidents: Jan Ball, Lola Hanson and Sue Kuchera.

•Firing Salute — Rollie Hanson w/ American Legion

•Taps — Larry Priebe

•Benediction — Pastor Marvin Repinski

Order of Service: Memorial Day Parade

•8:30 a.m. — Parade will form at the 300, 4th Ave. NE. (VFW Club).

•8:45 a.m. — The parade will move out rain or shine. The only person who can call off the parade is the Marshall of the Day, Scott Weichmann, Commander of VFW Post 1216.

Parade route: The divisions will move from their respective position onto Fourth Ave NE, west to main street, south on main, then east on First Ave. and turn at Second St. NE  and end at the VFW

Parade Order:

•First Division — VFW Post 1216 Color Guard, VFW Auxiliary 1216, Gold Star Mothers, Austin High School Band, Military Order of Cooties, Military Order of Ladybugs, VFW Men’s Auxiliary

•Second Division — American Legion Post 91 Color Guard and Escort, American Legion Auxiliary, Legion Riders Boy Scouts and Flags, Mower County Veteran’s Van

•Third Division — Disabled American Veterans Chapter No. 27, Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, Mayor of Austin, Knights of Columbus No. 1201, Eagles AERIE No. 703 and Auxiliary, Moose Lodge No. 1180 and Women of the Moose, Masons, Eastern Star and Shrine, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and any units not listed will fall in behind the Boy Scouts. I.J. Holton Orchestra

Marshall of the Day: Scott Weichmann, Commander of VFW Post 1216

Officer of the Day: Norman Hecimovich

 Blooming Prairie

•9:30 a.m. — Coffee hour for parade marchers at Blooming Serviceman’s Club

•10:30 a.m. — Parade line up

•11 a.m. — Parade starting at Prairie Plumbing on Hwy. 218 and ends in Blooming Prairie Cemetery. Program at cemetery will begin shortly after 11 a.m. Speaker will be Pastor Sennell from First Baptist Church. (In case of rain, service at Blooming Prairie Servicemen’s Club)

Noon — Potluck lunch at Blooming Prairie Servicemen’s Club. Public is welcome, but are asked to bring a dish. Quilts of Valor will be given away.

 Grand Meadow

The ceremonial color guard of the Harry T. Anderson American Legion Post #140 will provide traditional Memorial Day ceremonies at the following area cemeteries:

•8 a.m. — Immanuel Lutheran and Pleasant Valley

•8:15 a.m. — St. John’s

•8:35 a.m. — Racine-Salem

•8:50 a.m. — Sumner Cemetery

•9:10 a.m. — Hamilton

•9:25 a.m. — Frankford

•9:40 a.m. — Bear Creek

•10:15 a.m. — Program at the high school

•11:15 a.m. — Grand Meadow

•11:30 a.m. — St. Finbarr’s

•11:45 a.m. — Dexter

•12:05 p.m. — Zion Lutheran

•12:30 p.m. — Trinity Evangelical Lutheran

•12:45 p.m. — Hoflanda Cemetery

Hayfield

•8:15 a.m. — West St. Olaf Cemetery

•8:35 a.m. — Evanger Lutheran Cemetery. Coffee will be served

•9:05 a.m. — St. John’s Cemetery south of Sargeant

•9:25 a.m. — Waltham Cemetery south of Waltham on Highway 56

•9:45 a.m. — Greenwood Cemetery south of Brownsdale

•10:05 a.m. — St Michael’s Cemetery in Waltham. Coffee will be served.

•10:25 a.m. — Trinity Cemetery in Waltham

•11 a.m. — Fairview Cemetery in Hayfield

•11:30 a.m. — Program at Veteran’s Park, Hayfield. Program will be at Hayfield High School in case of rain.

LeRoy

•8:45 a.m. — Bethany Cemetery

•9:15 a.m. — Sea tribute program at the trail head of the Shooting Star Trail

•10:15 a.m. — Service at the cemetery in LeRoy

 Lyle

•9 a.m. — Cedar City Cemetery

•9:30 a.m. — London Cemetery

•10 a.m. — Deer Creek Cemetery

•10:30 a.m. — Woodbury Cemetery

•11 a.m. — Mona, Iowa Cemetery

•11:30 a.m. — Six-Mile Grove Cemetery

Six-Mile Grove will serve lunch after the service