Many people will celebrate a day off Monday with barbecues and get-togethers. But for many, Memorial Day is not an excuse to party, it's a time for reflection and remembrance of those who aren't here to share any longer.
Here's a collection of Memorial Day events scheduled for Monday in Acadiana, by parish. If you don't see your event here, and you'd like it to be included, just send the information to news@katctv.com
Acadia Parish
Since Friday, there has been a memorial display set up at the Church Point Depot. From sunrise to sunset every day, the 21 Church Point men who died serving their country are honored by VFW Post 9903 and American Legion Post 225 with a display. Every hour, a slow sentry will patrol the grounds. You can see the story we did on this event here. The closing ceremony will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Memorial Day.
Iberia Parish
The Veterans Memorial will be dedicated on Monday at 6 p.m. in Bouligny Plaza in downtown New Iberia. The event is sponsored by the Iberia Veterans Association.
Also in New Iberia, Eric Dewayne Tillman, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, will be remembered by his blood family and his church family with a red, white and blue balloon release at 5 p.m. at Rose Hill Cemetery in New Iberia.
Lafayette Parish
There will be a Memorial Day Prayer Service and Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery's Peace Chapel Mausoleum on Monday at 3 p.m.
Bishop Deshotel will celebrate Memorial Day Mass on Monday at 10 a.m. at the Mausoleum of the Resurrection Chapel of Calvary Cemetery located at 355 Teurlings Drive and Carmel Drive (Breaux Bridge Highway), across from the Diocese of Lafayette.
Greenlawn Cemetery will host its 57th annual Memorial Day Event at noon on Monday at Walters Funeral Home, 2424 N. University Avenue. The Distinguished Veteran honored this year will be Eddie Louvierre. LT. Col. Neal Vizina, U.S. Marine Corps, former flight operations officer for Assault Aircraft Carrier Iwo Jima, will speak. The program is open to the public, and the public is encouraged to visit the cemetery before and after the ceremony.
Fountain Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery will host its annual Memorial Day program on Monday starting at 9 a.m. in the veteran section of the cemetery on Pandora Street. There will be honor guards, a speaker, invocation and benediction, as well as a vocalist. The ceremony will last for about an hour.
Vermilion Parish
The Louisiana Military Museum Hosts Memorial Day Commemoration will happen on Monday from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. It will take place inside the museum and include a keynote address, the posting and retiring of the colors by the Acadiana Veterans Honor Guard and a 21-gun salute and TAPS performance outside. World War II and Vietnam-era planes will provide a Missing Man Aerial Salute. Lunch will be available, with proceeds benefiting the museum. Guests are invited to come in uniform or wear patriotic attire in support of the museum's mission to "honor our veterans and remember their stories." The museum is located in the green hangar of the Chris Crusta Memorial Airport at 911 Revis Sirmon Loop, Abbeville, LA 70510.
The Abbeville Garden Club will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Concord Street memorial. Members of the American Legion will participate.
