News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Tuesday December 10th 2024

Honoring Veterans and enjoying Buster Keaton at premiere venue

BY SUE HUNTER WEIR

The weather was a mixed bag for Memorial Day weekend.  Rain””more precisely the threat of thunderstorms””meant that we had to reschedule our screening of Buster Keaton”'s silent film, The Cameraman, from May 28th until the following weekend.

Earlier in the day, though, the weather cooperated and Scouts from Troop 1 helped with our annual planting.  They did more than help””they did it.  There are about two dozen urns that need planting and several small flowerbeds that need to be tidied up and to be filled in with some colorful spring flowers.  They did a spectacular job and we celebrated with pizza.

On Sunday Scouts from Troop 82 put flags on the graves of all of our Veterans and along the roadway.   The flags are a gift from American Legion Post #1, our Memorial Day partners.

The weather for our 148th Memorial Day observance was glorious which may be why the crowd was somewhat bigger than in other recent years.  The observance at Pioneers and Soldiers is special because it is such a community effort.  The Scouts, the American Legion Post, students from the Minnesota Transition School, and the Seward Community Concert Band all come together to make this event happen.

Brigadier General Dennis Schulstad, delivered the keynote address.  He is a remarkable speaker whose message is always one of gratitude and kindness.  He, too, is from the community, a graduate of Roosevelt High School and former City Council Member representing one of the South Minneapolis wards.

Even though the weather was a little dicey on our rescheduled date, we decided to chance it.  It rained lightly on and off up until about 6 o”'clock on June 4th but the rain stopped by the time that the gates opened at 7 o”'clock.  More than 150 people turned out for a fun movie.  The highlight was the original soundtrack provided by local musicians Dreamland Faces.  Their piano was towed into the cemetery on a bicycle much to the delight of the crowd. 

We will be participating in Open Streets on July 24th so stop by and say hello.  You”'ll have three more chances to see movies this year.  The next movie will be at sundown on August 20th.  Join us the 1950s horror classic, “The Curse of Frankenstein.”

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