Ishpeming VFW and American Legion members plan community project for Memorial Day

ISHPEMING — Due to the ongoing pandemic, most annual events are scheduled to look a little bit different, including this year’s Memorial Day tribute in Ishpeming.

The usual service held at the Ishpeming Cemetery has been canceled. Members of the local American Legion and VFW are asking the community to get involved in a special project to make sure those who lost their lives in service are still honored on May 25.

On Thursday, Army veteran Tom Sharland stood outside the Ishpeming VFW handing out blank poster boards for anyone to create Memorial Day artwork.

“As veterans I think it’s important that we maintain an observance of some kind for Memorial Day,” said Tom Sharland of the Greenwood American Legion. “With the situation we’re in right now, we’re afraid that something like that would kind of be forgotten. We can’t let that happen.”

Sharland is especially hoping that children and young people will get involved. He wants the generations coming up to understand the sacrifices that America’s service men and women have made for their country.

“Like Reagan said, freedom is only one generation away from being lost,” said Sharland. “And I think we have to get younger people more involved in remembering that the veterans have sacrificed so much to keep us free.”

The posters will be collected on May 19th outside the VFW, and they’ll be hung along the fence of the Ishpeming Cemetery.

If you’d like to get involved in the Memorial Day project, call (906) 486-8080 for more information.