Weather Or Not, Service Set For Monday

Nothing like some late May snowfall to delay preparations for the annual Kimball County Memorial Day Service at Kimball Cemetery.

But organizers hope to have everything in order for the star-spangled ceremony next Monday, May 27.

Kimball Mayor Keith Prunty told The Observer early this week that the city wanted to get the cemetery looking nice but the weather was making it difficult.

Specifically, the unseasonably cold, snowy and wet conditions slowed down the city’s annual pre-Memorial Day cleanup at the cemetery. That, in turn, pushed back efforts in which the county Veterans Service Office and VFW Post 2243 sought volunteers to place flags at veterans’ graves Wednesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Prunty said the latest plan was for volunteers to assemble at the cemetery at 4 p.m. Friday, May 24, to display the gravesite flags. Prunty said all volunteers are welcome.

Will it happen? Well, the forecast Tuesday looked somewhat encouraging – but not great – to spruce up the cemetery in the coming days..

Wednesday was expected to be sunny with a high of 43, Thursday partly sunny with rain possible and a high of 43, Friday sunny and 62, Saturday partly sunny and 67, Sunday possible thunderstorms and 73, and Monday – the federal holiday – possible rain and 65.

Regardless of weather, here’s what’s going on with ceremony plans.

Post 2243 Quartermaster Brian Howard, this year’s service coordinator, told The Observer that the ceremony will be similar to years past with a 10 a.m. start, free event transportation from Kimball County Transit, and a free hamburger feed to follow at the post, 227 S. Chestnut St., Kimball.

Howard said the featured speaker will be veteran Rich Thomas, pastor of First Baptist Church. Other plans include a welcoming prayer, benediction, the playing of “Taps,” an honor guard, and participation of area VFW and American Legion members.

– Dakota Kuhns contributed to this report.