ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Several events will be held in central Baldwin beginning Saturday to honor veterans for Memorial Day.
Originated as Decoration Day after the Civil War in 1868, the term Memorial Day was first used in 1882. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation naming Waterloo, New York, as the birthplace of Memorial Day and was declared the official name by Federal law in 1967.
In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday, moving Memorial day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The law took effect at the federal level in 1971.
Silverhill
The Silverhill Veterans Memorial Organization will host the annual Silverhill Car Show on Saturday, May 29. Cars will be set up at town hall, Gazebo Park and in front of United Bank (historic Peoples Supply), corner of Alabama 104 and County Road 55, downtown.
Show-day registration, costing $25 for the first vehicle, $15 for each additional vehicle, begins at 8 a.m. Judging starts at 11 a.m.
Judges “Best Of” Awards will include: Best of Show Vintage, Best of Show Late Model, GM, Ford, Mopar, Independent, Import, Truck, Antique, Paint, Engine, Interior, British, Best of Decades, first, second and third; and Rat Rod. Door prizes will also be awarded during the show.
Food and drinks will be provided on site with a 50/50 jackpot drawing to be awarded. All proceeds from the car show will be used to add names to the Silverhill Veterans Memorial.
For more information contact Frankie Kucera, 251-945-5506 or 251-215-9630. This is an alcohol-free event. Parking is on a first-come basis, no reserves.
Bring your chair and masks are optional.
Robertsdale
The City of Robertsdale will host its annual Memorial Day program beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, May 31 at the pavilion at Honeybee Park on East Chicago Street.
The program will begin with the raising of the flag and taps with the Presentation of Colors.
Bibles will be presented to veterans, including the guest speaker. The program will conclude with a closing prayer.
Guest speaker for the event will be Maj. Gen. Janet Cobb, executive director of the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.
Begun in 1993, the program’s first honoree was Mable Frey, auxiliary president for the local VFW and a veteran of World War II, the program was expanded as a way to honor local veterans, said Mayor Charles Murphy.
