ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Every year, the last Monday in May has been set aside to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country.

Flags are lowered to half-staff and graveside services are held throughout the country to honor those who died while serving our country.

Locally, in addition to those observances, events have been set aside to honor all veterans during the three-day weekend beginning with the annual Gear Jammers Memorial Car Show on Saturday in Town Park Square along Highway 104 and County Road 55 in Silverhill.

Car Show

If the weather cooperates, more than 200 cars from the 1920s all the way up to present day are expected to participate, said Frankie Kucera, who has coordinated the event since its beginning.

Started as a fundraiser for the Oscar Johnson Memorial Library in Silverhill, fundraising focus of the event shifted in 2011 after a tornado caused extensive damage to the town’s Little Bohemian Hall. The event has also served as a fundraiser for Catholic Social Services, Project C.A.R.E. Food Pantry and Silverhill Boy Scout Troop 42.

Last year, organizers established the event as a fundraiser to construct a memorial in Silverhill to local veterans.

More than 80 awards will be handed out during this year’s show and dash plaques will be given to the first 100 entrants. Door prizes and goody bags will also be available and there will once again be a 50/50 jackpot drawing.

Coffee and donuts will be served for early morning participants. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase on site.

Show day registration will be from 8 a.m. to noon at a cost of $25 for the first vehicle; $15 for a second or third vehicle. Judging begins at 11 a.m.

For more information visit gearjammerscarclub.org or call Kucera at 251-945-5506 or 251-215-9630.

Memorial Day Cookout

The Fourth Annual American Heroes Memorial Day Cookout will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at the William F. Green State Veterans Home, 300 Faulkner Drive, Bay Minette.

Come join a veteran for lunch. Donations are being accepted to cover expenses. Excess money will be put into the activity fund at the Veteran’s Home.

For more information contact Tommy Boyington, 234-517-8269 or email teboyington@hotmail.com.

City of Robertsdale

Memorial Day Program

The City of Robertsdale will host its annual Memorial Day Observance beginning at 9 a.m. at Gordon Coley Memorial Park on Highway 59.

The program will begin with the presentation of colors by the Robertsdale High School NJROTC with the playing of Taps by Robertsdale Elementary School musical director Susie Vivar.

Guest speaker for the event will be Sen. Greg Albritton with a closing prayer by the Rev. Stephen Hellman, pastor of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Robertsdale.

Bibles will be presented to 20 local veterans, including five from the Robertsdale Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center.

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 to include several veterans about 15 years ago as a way to honor local veterans, said Mayor Charles Murphy.

“This is something we wanted to do, not only to honor those who have died in military service, but to show our appreciation to all of our veterans,” Murphy said.

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.