Morris celebrates Memorial Day on the courthouse lawn

The John Martin Steele VFW Post 6049 hosted a Memorial Day celebration Monday on the Grundy County Courthouse Lawn, honoring deceased veterans.

The ceremony was preceded by a parade that started in Chapin Park, and it was started by American Legion Commander Ken Buck, recounting the history of Memorial Day.

Buck said Memorial Day was originally established as Decoration Day by the Grand Army of the Republic on May 5, 1868, as a day for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. It was then moved to May 30, since flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

Memorial Day was expanded after World War I to honor those who have died in American Wars, and it was moved to the last Monday in May by Congress in 1971.

Also speaking on Monday were Jerry Zeborowski, VFW Post 6049 Commander, Marie Acevedo, Senior Vice Commander for Disabled American Veterans Chapter 68, and Rob Dettman, Chef de Gare of the Society of 40&8 Locale 1195.

The Gold Star Mothers, VFW Post 6049 Auxiliary, American Legion Post 294 Auxiliary, Daughters of the American Revolution, and POW-MIA each laid wreaths in honor of the fallen.

Griffin Zweeres, the 2025 recipient of the VFW Post Scholarship, gave the keynote address.