Memorial Day Poppy Ceremony in the Iowa Building

On May 26, 2025, the Iowa Building in Jackson Park will be the site of a Memorial Day observation to honor Hyde Park’s fallen heroes with a traditional Poppy Ceremony.

Now, this doesn’t sound all that unusual, but in fact it hasn’t taken place in Hyde Park for several years, and the event is currently funded by a very small group of individuals who have stepped up to cover immediate expenses such as Chicago Park District permit deposits and fees, required insurance, printing costs, postage, internet fees, marketing, and other miscellaneous costs. Ideally, we would like to reimburse these out-of-pocket expenses, some of which will continue to accrue, and we would also like to establish a fund to encourage a willing community group to make Memorial Day as its own project next year.

How did this event come about?

Just prior to Memorial Day 2024, I was saddened to discover that, while Chicago has a large parade and celebration downtown, my adopted home of Hyde Park has not formally commemorated this national holiday for some time. I was especially touched after meeting one lone Veteran distributing poppies outside of Trader Joe's in the rain, still smiling, even as people passed him by. I spoke to him for a while about being in England and Scotland during Remembrance Day there in 2022, and I noted that no one walked down the street without a poppy on his or her lapel. He said, “Nobody here cares anymore. No one remembers.”

Later I spoke to my siblings about our childhood in Maine and how we loved Memorial Day as a time when Summer began, and how we would follow "the old soldiers" into the cemetery where we visited the graves of long past relatives. I realized then, too, that today's "old soldiers" are younger than I am. I promised my distant siblings that I would do something in Hyde Park this year, even if it was me riding around the Trader Joe's parking lot on a decorated bicycle. Plus I told my sister if she would come, I’d find a horse for her to ride.

Meanwhile, I wrote letters to the Mayor, Aldermen, numerous Veterans’ groups, the Chamber of Commerce, several service organizations, and even Barack Obama. It took me six weeks, but I did finally receive an email from American Legion Post Commander Frank T. Thompson saying, “I’m the man you are looking for,” and he in turn recruited Commander Gary Whyte and Commander Wade Hudson to join us in planning the upcoming simple traditional Poppy Ceremony.

Although I received a lot of encouragement from the Promontory Point Conservancy -- which will be celebrating Founder's Day on May 26 -- I was not able to reserve a spot on or near the Point with the facilities I wanted to provide, keeping in mind our older Veteran's safety and comfort.

The Iowa Building is an ideal spot, and its proximity to the Montgomery House should allow any Veterans there to join us. Sandra Munoz of the Chicago Parks System has been an excellent coach in getting this event off the ground, and we are well aware that we need to wrap up our program by 10:30 a.m. to allow other people to use this premium space.

Why don’t these American Legion Posts just fund this event themselves?

I, personally, feel quite strongly that Memorial Day is a time to honor those who lost their lives for our country. This is not a time to light fireworks and celebrate. It is a time for the community to contemplate the sacrifices that have been made for us all since this country was founded.

In other words, I do not believe Veterans should be funding this public event. We are mourning those we have lost; we are sharing in the sorrow of their comrades, friends, and families.

I sincerely hope you are willing to contribute a few dollars to costs of producing this brief but meaningful community event. If not, please come anyway. You are welcome to join us.

And please wear a red poppy, proudly.

Sincerely,

Barbara Jean Walsh

Volunteer Coordinator

Hyde Park Memorial Day 2025