Staff Reports
Memorial Day, which arrives the last Monday in May, has been observed in the United States every year since 1868. A variety of events will take place around Central Florida to mark the day of remembrance for those who died in service to the country.
Apopka
The city of Apopka and the Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW Post 10147 (Apopka/Altamonte Springs) is hosting its Memorial Day service at 11 a.m. on May 26 at Edgewood-Greenwood Cemetery, 141 S. Edgewood Drive., Apopka.
The ceremony will gather at the cemetery’s Veterans Memorial.
Gotha
Woodlawn Memorial Park and Funeral Home will commemorate and honor the fallen with the 75th annual Memorial Day service. The ceremony starts promptly at 10 a.m. on May 26 at 400 Woodlawn Cemetery Road, Gotha.
The unveiling and dedication to a new Gold Star Family monument will be a part of this year’s ceremony.
Ocoee
A Memorial Day ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 22, at the Ocoee Lakeshore Center, 125 N. Lakeshore Dr., Ocoee.
Retired U.S. Army Colonel Shay Talley-Bradley will be the guest speaker.
The Ocoee Police Department will present the colors and escort attendees to the city’s Memorial Wall.
Marcus Jiao, an Ocoee High School student, will perform taps. Ocoee resident Sherri Gladney will perform the National Anthem.
Following the ceremony, refreshments will be served.
Orlando (Lake Nona)
The Orlando VA Healthcare System will host a Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 23, at the amphitheater at the rear entrance of the Orlando VA Medical Center in Lake Nona.
Director of Cape Canaveral National Cemetery Cindy VanBibber will be the keynote speaker.
Parking will be available in the east and west parking garages, and south parking lot near the emergency department.
RSVP is required: SurveyMonkey.com/r/TQG5VTL
Orlando
The city of Orlando’s Memorial Day commemoration ceremony will start at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 23 at Greenwood Cemetery, 1603 Greenwood St., Orlando.
Email Danielle Abdul-Nabi at danielle.abdul-nabi@orlando.gov for more information.
Oviedo
The American Legion Post 243 and the City of Oviedo is inviting the public to attend the Sunset Memorial Day Service 7-7:45 p.m. on May 26 at Center Lake Park, 299 Center lake Lane, Oviedo. Taps will be played to honor the fallen while the community stands and face the music with hats removed.
Veterans themselves and anyone who has a loved one who served the nation are invited to add their names to the community’s Wall of Veterans at the service. To do so, visit shorturl.at/oh7YY and fill out the Veterans Tribute Wall of Honor application form.
Sanford
The 2025 Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony will take place 9-11 a.m. on May 26 at Veterans Memorial Park on the shore of Lake Monroe in Sanford.
Starting at 9 a.m., first responders will show law enforcement equipment, emergency command vehicles, renovated military vehicles, and fire trucks.
Kenneth (KJ) Boggs, Seminole County veterans service officer, will be the master of ceremonies.
The scheduled keynote speaker is Barron Mills, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Camaraderie Foundation Board member, at the Remembrance Ceremony that will start at 10 a.m.
The sponsoring veteran organization is Sanford’s American Veterans Post 17 is the sponsoring veteran organization. Commander James Melton, U.S. Army veteran, will accept the Memorial Day proclamation.
Windermere
The town of Windermere will have its Memorial Day observance from 10 a.m. to noon on May 26 in front of Windermere Town Hall, 520 Main St., Windermere.
Winter Garden
American Legion Post No. 63 and the city of Winter Garden will present a Memorial Day Community Celebration 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on May 26 at Veterans Memorial Park, 420 S. Park Ave., Winter Garden.
The scheduled guest speaker is Cassandra Guzman, U.S. Air Force veteran and Ms. Veteran America 2024.
The event will also include a roll call of veterans, placement of wreaths and patriotic songs.
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
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