Canadian’s annual Memorial Day service will be held at 11 am on Monday, May 29, at Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery. As is traditional, the service will be conducted by American Legion Post 56. In the event of inclement weather, the service will be moved to the Jones Pavilion.

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and be­came an official federal holiday in 1971.

Locally, the scope of Memorial Day has expanded. It has become customary to remember and honor any vet­eran who has died and who had a connection to Hemphill County.

Though conducted by members of Post 56, this is a communitywide event that could not take place without volunteers from the community. The focus of the volun­teer effort is flag placement and removal at each veter­an’s grave.

Individual flags will be placed at the Edith Ford Cem­etery starting on Sunday, May 28, beginning at 2 pm. The flags will be removed Monday afternoon.

Members of Post 56 will hold a rehearsal in the court­house parking lot beginning at 9:30 am. All veterans are encouraged to attend and assist in honoring our fallen comrades.

For further information or questions, please con­tact John McGarr at 806.323.2567.