Memorial Day Service 2025

The Metro Area Veterans council's thank you to local veterans

The Metro Area Veterans Council hosted their annual Memorial Day service at 10:00AM in the Veterans Memorial building in downtown Cedar Rapids on Monday May 26th. The service featured several speakers including American 2nd Legion District Vice Commander Dick Hogan, Police Chaplain Ken Glandorf, Commander Rich Hunt, Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell, Deafinitely Dogs Co-Founder Lorette Vanourny, and Marines/army/National Gaurd veteran Captain Andrew Calahan.

(left to right) Ken Cook and Melinda Rudish play their clarinets during the New Horizon Band’s performance of the National Anthem at the Memorial Day service held at the Veterans Memorial building on Monday. Cook served in Vietnam from December of 1967 to December of 1968 as a member of the Navy, and also got to ride in the PT Boat that was used in John F. Kennedy’s inaugural parade.

Rich Hunt and Lorette Vanourny watch as American Legion 2nd District Vice Commander Dick Hogan opens the the memorial day service. The 2nd District is the largest American Legion district in the state of Iowa, and is composed of posts in Dubuque, Davenport, Maquoketa, Dyersville, Clinton, Bellevue, Marion, Walker, Donahue, Ely, Toddville, Blue Grass, Hiawatha, and Cedar Rapids.

Members of AMVETS Post 6 (located in Cedar Rapids) present the colors during the Memorial Day service held at the Veterans Memorial building on Monday. AMVETS is a congressionally chartered veterans service founded in 1944. It currently has 250,000 members (all of whom are veterans) nationwide.

Conductor Ken Zamzow leads the New Horizons band during one of their performances for the Memorial Day service at the Veterans Memorial building. The New Horizons Band (which is for people ages 55 and up) was started in 1999. Zamzow joined 17 years ago.

Police Chaplain Ken Glandorf delivers the invocation during the Memorial Day service presented by the Metro Area Veterans Council. Glandorf joined the Marines at 17, and turned 21 while serving a 13 month deployment in Vietnam.

C/CMS Nathaniel Young stands with several other members of the Civil Air Patrol 129th Cedar Rapids Composite Squadron before the placement of the wreaths.

Cedar Rapids Mayor (republican) Tiffany O’Donnell delivers the proclamation during the Memorial Day Service at the Veterans Memorial building in downtown Cedar Rapids on Monday May 26th. O’Donnell was first elected mayor of Cedar Rapids at the end of the election in 2021. Also pictured is American Legion 2nd District Vice Commander Dick Hogan.

Members of The 21st Century Vocals perform during the Memorial Day service at Veterans Memorial Building on Monday May 26th. The service was originally supposed to be held at All Veterans Memorial Park however it was moved inside because of the threat of rain.

Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell (left) and Dick Hogan (right) watch as Deafinitely Dogs Co-Founder, Director of Operations, and Lead Trainer Lorette Vanourny speaks about the services that Deafinitely Dogs provides for disabled veterans. Deafinitely Dogs is a non-profit organization that helps disabled people gain independence by assigning them a highly trained service dog.

Veteran of the Marines, Army, and National Gaurd Captain Andrew Callahan speaks about remembering veterans that died both on and off the line of duty. Callahan, who is now an instructor of industrial maintenance technology at Kirkwood Community College, has been deployed over seas three times. Callahan also serves as an advisor to the Kirkwood veterans association.

Greg Francisco plays the bagpipes during the Memorial Day service at Veterans Memorial building on Monday May 26th. The service began at 10:00AM and featured several musical performances and speakers.

Members of AMVETS Post 6 (located in Cedar Rapids) retrieve the colors at the end of the Memorial Day Service presented by the Metro Area Veterans Council. The Metro Area Veterans Council member organizations include American Legion Post 298, American Legion Post 727, American Legion Post 735, AMVETS Post 6, Marine Corps League Cedar Valley Detachment 099, Fleet Reserve Association, Forty et Eight Voiture 1305, Korean War Veterans Association Chapter 99, Linn County Veteran Services, Veterans of Foreign Wars post 788, Vietnam Vets Motor Club, and the 24th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment.