Memorial Day Prep

Preparation for Memorial Day in Brainerd, Minnesota, USA

May 25, 2024: Cub Scouts from Pack number 36 showed up to put flags in Evergreen Cemetery.

Pack Leader Trevor Bjerketuedt instructed the scouts in etiquette by telling them not to pick up any coins from gravestones. Coins were put there by relatives and friends in honor of those who died. On military graves, a penny can mean the visitor paid their respects, a nickel can mean they trained together at boot camp and a dime can mean they served together. A quarter can mean the visitor was present when the soldier was killed.

They were also told to not let a flag touch the ground.

May 25, 2024: Memorial Day story in the Brainerd Dispatch newspaper.

May 23, 2024: SSgt Herrick opened a storeroom at the Brainerd National Guard Armory so flags could be removed for use on Memorial Day. Then veterans went to Memorial Gardens cemetery to locate ground mounting pipes and put flags in. Stay tuned for Evergreen Gardens flags on Saturday.

May 22, 2024: (l-r) Tess Taylor and Ken Thomas from WJJY-FM Radio, then Mark Persons from the Brainerd VFW and Herman Wisneski from the Brainerd Elks.

May 22, 2024: (l-r) Bill Satre, morning host on B93-FM, Mark Persons from the Brainerd VFW and Herman Wisneski from the Brainerd Elks. The interview was also recorded and aired on KUAL-FM.

May 22, 2024: (l-r) Danny Wild and Mac, morning hosts on KLIZ-FM Radio. Then Mark Persons from the Brainerd VFW and Herman Wisneski from the Brainerd Elks.

(l-r) Mark Persons, Herman Wisneski and Brad Mielke.

May 20, 2024: Live interview on six radio stations of R&J Broadcasting in Brainerd and Aitkin, MN.

Join us in making plans for Memorial Day, May 27, 2024.

Brainerd Memorial Day Committee

Most people on this committee volunteer to honor those who died in service to our country. Most never served in the military. Jobs include arranging for speakers, getting city permits, coordinating the parade, making the program guides, putting up flags in area cemeteries with scouts, radio interviews and running the sound system.

May 29, 2023, 6 am: Boy Scouts from Pack 45 in Brainerd installed casket flags on the fence at Evergreen Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day ceremonies.

May 27, 2023: Families were out decorating graves at Evergreen Cemetery on the north side of Brainerd. Cub Scouts were there with over 100 flags for the cemetery so that at least one could be seen from every location.

Cub Scouts from Pack 36 in Baxter put flags out in Evergreen Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day.

May 26, 2023: Members were out getting flags from a storage room at the 194th Army National Guard Armory. They were assisted by a scout leader and a member of the Guard. Then it was off to Memorial Gardens Cemetery to install flags, with the help of a metal locater to find flag mounts in the ground.

(l-r) Ken Thomas, morning personality of WJJY Radio, the Mike Williams and Mark Persons recording an interview for airing on Friday, May 26th.

May 25, 2023: Recording for playback May 26th at noon.

(l-r) Bill Satre, morning personality of B93 Radio. Then Mark Persons and Mike Williams. Interview recorded to air Friday on B93 and Cool 103.

May 25, 2023: Recorded radio interview for playback on May 26th.

(l-r) Danny Wild and Mac, the morning crew on KLIZ-FM Radio. Then Mike Williams and Mark Persons.

May 25, 2023: Live radio interview at 8:20 am.

(l-r) Mark Persons and Mike Williams were interviewed on R&J Broadcasting stations in Brainerd and Aitkin, MN, by morning announcer Brad Mielke.

May 23, 2023: Live interview at 8:30 am.

May 22, 2022:
DAR at
All-Vets

May 28, 2022: Cub Scouts from Brainerd and Baxter, Minnesota, put flags in Evergreen Cemetery on the north side of Brainerd. It is a tradition since 1968.

May 27, 2022: Brainerd VFW members placed flags at Memorial Gardens, north of Brainerd, along Highway 3. They used a metal locator to find pipes in the ground to put flags in.

May 24, 2022: (l-r) Devon Krueger interviewed Brainerd VFW member Mark Persons the about annual Memorial Day Ceremonies in Brainerd. The broadcast was heard on WWWI-AM, WWWI-FM, KLKS, KFGI, KKIN-AM and KKIN-FM.

Also interviewed on KUAL, KBLB and KLIZ Radio in Brainerd, then Community Focus on WJJY Radio with Ken and Tess.

Most, but not all of the Brainerd Memorial Day Committee in 2022.

May 31, 2021: Boy Scouts from Troop 45 put casket flags up at Evergreen Cemetery for Memorial Day. It is something they do every year. Troop 43 took them down at the end of the day.

May 29, 2021: Members of Cub Scout Pack 36 of Baxter were at Evergreen Cemetery in Brainerd planting flags for Memorial Day. The pack is led by Travis Bjerketvedt.