craigdailypress.com

With the Moffat County High School's class of 2009 graduating and the numerous events surrounding the 19th annual Grand Olde West Days celebration taking place, this weekend is bound to be a busy one in Moffat County.

However, one significant event may be overlooked in the rush of weekend activities: Memorial Day.

Specifically, Bill Harding said, the county's veterans service officer, recognizing and appreciating the veterans who have given all to their country.

"The real reason for the weekend and the holiday is to honor those veterans who have served and died," said Harding, a Vietnam-era veteran and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4265, the American Legion Post 62 and Sons of the American Legion. "We forget that. : At 11 a.m. (Monday), take an hour out of your weekend and pay your respects. Then, go back and have a good time."

Those three veterans groups - the VFW, Legion and Sons of the Legion - will begin working on behalf of Memorial Day at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Craig Cemetery.

Veterans - and anyone else who would like to volunteer to help - will place more than 500 American flags on the graves of the veterans buried in the cemetery.

A service at the cemetery begins at 11 a.m. Monday.

It will include a short address, recognition of area veterans who have died since last Memorial Day and a reading of the names of veterans buried in the cemetery.

There also will be a 21-gun salute, along with a raising of the American flag and lowering it to half-mast.

The Craig service will be followed by one a few hours later, at 3 p.m., at Maybell Cemetery.

The local veterans groups also will help host that event.

Concluding Monday will be a collecting of the flags at Craig Cemetery, which will take place at about 6:30 p.m.

Again, area veterans encourage local residents to volunteer in helping remove the flags.