In remembrance of the men and women who lost their lives in military service of the United States of America, the American Legion Post 16, Homer, American Legion Post 19, Ninilchik, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10221, Anchor Point, will host memorial services on Monday, May 31, at Hickerson Memorial Cemetery on Diamond Ridge Road at 10 a.m.; Anchor Point Cemetery at noon; and Ninilchik Cemetery at 2 p.m.

The public is invited to attend the ceremonies, as well as a small reception at the VFW in Anchor Point after the Hickerson Memorial Cemetery service.

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May annually in honor of servicemen and women who died during military service of the United States of America. While the day was originally known as Decoration Day, it was renamed in 1971 after becoming a federal holiday.

The American Legion Auxiliary will be passing out red poppies at Safeway during Memorial Day weekend and encourages the public to wear the flowers in honor of all servicemen and women. The poppy is significant as it was one of the first flowers to reappear on the battlefields after World War I, as written about in John McCrae’s famous poem “In Flanders Field.” According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, red poppies are a symbol of both loss of life and of recovery and new life.

Reach Sarah Knapp at sarah.knapp@homernews.com