Latest News – May 28

Names Engraved on Vets Memorial Unveiled Sunday

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Every year more names are added to the Lake County Veterans Memorial in the Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville, Colorado. Last week, Glen Carlson with Snyder Grand Valley Memorials of Grand Junction, Colo. came up to engrave nearly 30 new names of veterans to the memorial. This year’s addition saw the list of veterans expand over to the east side of the memorial.

Early in the year, there was an open call for people to submit names to be added to the wall with a $75 fee, which helps to cover the costs of engraving. This is an opportunity to honor those who served with a name engraving on the Lake County Veterans Memorial granite plaque. Families from Leadville, Lake County and across the United States can add the name of any veteran deceased or living to the south plaque.

In order to have the plaque readied by Memorial Day, applications and fees ($75 per name) must be received by March 30 of that same year. Please consider an engraving or a simple, straight-up donation by contacting Brad Palmer at 719-207-1380 or mailing a check to Lake County Veteran Memorial, PO Box 952, Leadville, CO 80461. To download an engraving application: CLICK.
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Memorial Day Service: Honoring America’s Heroes

Strike up the bagpipes and get out your red, white and blue, because tomorrow, Sunday, May 29 Lake County commemorates Memorial Day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States of America.

Leadville Bagpipe musician Colin McFee will be performing at this year’s Memorial Day Service on May 29. Photo: Leadville Today

The 2016 Lake County Memorial Day Services will be held again on Sunday, May 29, rather than the traditional Memorial Day Monday to accommodate those traveling to the event and to encourage more people to attend. So mark the calendars for May 29 for the annual even to be held at the Veterans Memorial at Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville at 1 p.m.

It’s a moving – and brief – service, and certainly a good reminder of what the day is all about: remembering those who died in active military service. The public is welcome and of course, so are the kids. There’s a lunch following the service at the Elks Lodge #236 at 123 W. 5th Street.

This year, the Memorial Day program will be emceed by Marine Veteran and Leadville resident Bill “Doc” Wenmark. Keynote speakers will include Rachele Palmer and Tom Wiens. Palmer became a Gold Star Mom when her youngest son and Leadville Marine Nicklas Palmer, 19, was killed in Fallujah Iraq in 2006. Wiens is a former legislator and seasoned entrepreneur. Representatives from the Leadville Elks Lodge #236 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars 2 Mile High Post #859 will lay wreaths at the memorials. This year’s Memorial Day Service line-up is sure to make your patriotism swell and your eyes well, as local musicians and singers perform favorite American anthems.

The 5^th Annual Fallen Heroes Run will take place before the service, starting in Summit County on Sunday morning. The motorcycles and riders will assemble at the Summit County Elks Lodge at 1321 Blue River Parkway in Silverthorne. Registration is at 10:30 a.m. with the group departing to at 11:45, weather permitting.  The ride will travel along Fallen Heroes Highway, aka Highway 91 over Fremont Pass and into Leadville Evergreen Cemetery  A donation of $10 a bike will be accepted with all proceeds going to Lake County Veterans Memorial. 

Memorial Day is a time to honor those who died for the freedoms Americans enjoy.  Come and show your gratitude for the sacrifices these heroes have made. 

The 5th Annual Fallen Heroes Run will take place before the Memorial Day Service in Leadville service on Sunday, May 29. Photo: Leadville Today