Memorial day is full of family tradition in Medina, OH. I can remember taking part in the events while I was growing up. First, when I was in grade school, our classes marched in the parade and took bouquets of flowers to decorate the graves, in the cemetery, that didn’t have any. When I was older, I marched as a Brownie Girl Scout and Girl Scout, representing those organizations. After I got into the Jr. High and High Schools, I marched in the bands. This year, Earl and I are visiting family in town and are able to participate in the tradition again, after many years of living in other parts of the country. The scheduled events remains much the same, but different, as times have changed over the years and now there are new generations who are taking the rolls that I once did. Now, my immediate family and I are participating in the place of those who were of the older generations back when we were kids. This is how our family celebrates Memorial Day. My Mom and all of my sisters, Earl and I and some of my nieces and nephews were in attendance for each activity that I will describe.
The morning begins with a ceremony at the Medina County Courthouse memorial to those, from the community, who lost their lives in wars. Four different groups lay wreaths at the monument.
Right after that, the Memorial Day Parade begins. Families and friends gather along the parade route from the Courthouse to the Spring Grove Cemetery in support of and to cheer on the parade participants. There are several bands in the parade. Here, Great-grandma and Bumble, the bee, are watching the Sr. High band get ready.
Bumble is watching the band pass by with Grandma and Great-grandma.
There were a miniature horse and dogs.
Some old cars and motorcycles.
Some Scouts were riding in a military vehicle while other Scouts were marching.
It all wrapped up with emergency vehicles, the old and the new, modern, latest equipment.
That is just a sampling of all of the entries that made up the total parade. The parade was followed by the ceremony and tribute at the cemetery. More wreaths were laid at the monument in the cemetery.
The afternoon was spent at a family picnic at a city park in Medina. It is a great family park with a play area and water splash park for all ages. There are also baseball fields where some of the family members enjoyed playing catch and doing batting practice or just rooted on those who were playing. Of course, we were not the only family enjoying the park activities on such a nice day.
We had a yummy potluck late lunch/early dinner in the pavilion. Earl cooked burgers and dogs.
Everyone brought something to share. Bumble just had to see what was on the smorgasbord.
My sister baked cakes for the kids and adults. Notice Bumble is checking out the kids’ caterpillar cake. Very festive, don’t you think?
Well, there was more than enough for everyone. We all have full tummies and there is no need for dinner tonight. We enjoyed the day of family activities and visiting. It was a perfect day with sunshine and warm weather so that the kids could play in the water.
We went back to camp to pack some of our stuff. Tomorrow we hope the part that we need to have replaced on the truck will have reached the service dept. at the Ford Dealership so that it can be installed and we can leave for the rest of our trip.
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