There are several Memorial Day services taking place in Guthrie County on Monday.

The Panora Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) will be holding a ceremony at 10am at Veterans Auditorium, with US Representative Zach Nunn coming as the guest speaker. Nunn says that it is great that there are groups like the American Legion and the VFW, who work to make sure that those who gave all in service to our country are remembered for everything they’ve done. He shares a special view that he has of Iowa’s military past.

“As a highlight, Iowa, throughout our entire history, has given an unheard portion of our young men and women to serve in (the) armed forces. You know, when Iowa first became a state just before the Civil War, we sent more of our sons and daughters to serve in the Civil War to save the Union than any other state as a percentage of our population. Young farm kids left and walked miles, and states to defend this nation. Young girls who were teaching in one-room schoolhouses became nurses on the front line.”

Nunn adds that Iowa’s history is rich with the commitment to what it means to be an American, and the defense of that principle.

Other services on Monday include the Guthrie Center American Legion holding a ceremony at 10am at the Memorial Wall by the Guthrie County Courthouse. In Stuart, the Scouts and Stuart American Legion Post 146 will be setting up flags at Stuart Oak Grove Cemetery today, with a service to be held at the American Legion plot in the cemetery at 9:30am on Monday, and then the groups will pick up the flags Monday night at 5pm.