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Beaman to observe milestone Memorial Day Weekend

BEAMAN – For the past 134 years the community of Beaman has been observing Memorial Day, and this year is no exception.

According to Deb Ashton, this year’s 135th celebration includes many family activities on Saturday; a community church service on Sunday; and a special 135th observance of the actual May holiday on Monday.

The weekend activities kick off on Saturday with the firemen’s breakfast at the memorial hall from 7-11 a.m. This will be followed by the Pat Neff 2-mile run and Gemini Walk beginning at 9 a.m. (Registration will take place at the Beaman Shelterhouse at 8 a.m.) Contact Jane Smith at 641-366-3191 with questions

The Beaman Library will open at 9 a.m. with a special show by a balloon magician at 10 a.m., and kids games on Main Street will begin at 10 a.m. Ashton said that items for the cake walk are needed, as is help with the games. Contact Brenda Heitmeyer at 366-2299 if you can help, and bring the goodies to the Memorial Hall by 9 a.m.

At 11:30 a.m., kids can participate in a pedal tractor pull. Signup for this event is at 11 a.m. by the bank. Lunch will be served at the memorial hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A special event for the 135th celebration is a parade down Main Street beginning at 1 p.m. Ashton reports that entries of any kind are most welcome and she can be contacted at 641-366-2191 with questions. Line-up will be at the Monsanto lot at the north end of Main Street beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Sunday’s community church service will be at the Beaman United Methodist Church at 11 a.m.

The 135th observance of Memorial Day begins at 10 a.m. with the decorating of graves and program at the Vienna Cemetery. At 10:30 a.m., the program and grave decorating moves to Oakland Cemetery. Ashton said children are needed to help decorate the graves, and can meet at the Memorial Hall by 9:45 a.m. for rides or the parents can bring them to the cemeteries.

Dinner will be served at the memorial hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the library and heritage center will be open during the same time frame. At 1 p.m. the BCLUW High School band will present a short concert in the park and at 1:15 the annual program in the park will begin.

The annual BCLUW baseball tournament begins at 10:30 a.m. with BCLUW, GMG, North Tama and Twin Cedars scheduled to participate. The day ends with Beaman Lions Club Bingo at 6 p.m. the hall — doors open at 5 p.m. with lunch available.

According to Ashton, Beaman T-shirts in size small youth to 4XL adult will be available during the celebration. She added that the Beaman Betterment Club is in the process of fundraising for a digital highway sign. Tax deductible donations can be made payable to the City of Beaman and sent to Ashton at Box 104 in Beaman, Iowa, 50609.

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