Memorial Day ceremonies slated for May 25

The Sonoma Valley Joint Memorial Day Observance will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25, at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park. This year will also be the 10-year anniversary of the unveiling of the Star of Honor fountain, which is now the centerpiece for the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park.

Attracting an audience of more than 1,000 people annually, the Sonoma Valley Joint Memorial Day Observance has become the preeminent event of the year for local veterans, their families and friends. Seating is limited. Although additional pop-up tent canopies will provide more shade this year for many in the audience, not every chair will be under these canopies. Therefore it is recommended to arrive early and wear a hat or sun visor.

All veterans are invited to wear their best military uniforms (or appropriate attire) and participate in the grand march at the opening of the ceremony. Veterans who want to participate in the grand march are requested to gather at 10:30 a.m. beneath the flag of their particular branch of the armed forces in the parking lot.

The guest of honor and keynote speaker will be U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson who represents California’s 5th Congressional District, which includes the Sonoma Valley.

Thompson is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means where he serves on the Health and Select Revenue subcommittees.

In 1990, Thompson was the first Vietnam veteran elected to the California State Senate. He served in combat with the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant/platoon leader with the 173rd Airborne Brigade where he was wounded and received a Purple Heart. He was also an instructor at the Army’s Airborne School.

As co-chair of the bipartisan Military Veterans Caucus, he led the effort to improve treatment options for service members suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury. He has authored bills to help veterans find work as they make the transition back to civilian life. And, as someone who went to college on the GI Bill himself, he helped lead the effort in Congress to pass the 21st Century GI Bill.

The ceremony will conclude with an aerial fly-over by the Sonoma Sky Park Aviators honoring the sacrifices made by all military aviators.

Following the ceremony, the “Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley: All-American Picnic” will be served free at the Sonoma Valley Veterans Building.