Rancho Cordova Memorial Day

Reminder to check the calendar for the latest updates...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said it will be months before places like hair and nail salons, movie theaters and in-person church services can resume operation. Will this include meetings, the Moose lodge itself? Unknown at this time.

Rancho Cordova Memorial Day

The Cordova Community Council along with our VA partners have been working hard on how to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice during these uncharted Covid times. Shelly has provided a really nice writeup outlining what we will be doing to observe this National Holiday. I could not have explained it better....here is what she wrote:

Flag display will honor fallen heroes

Rancho Cordovans who died in the service of their country will be honored during a special display of American flags on Folsom Boulevard this Memorial Day.

"Flags on Folsom Boulevard” will feature hundreds of American flags posted on the south side of Rancho Cordova’s central roadway, paying tribute to those who "gave all,” as organizers shift to an observance which honors the sacrifice of veterans while complying with COVID-19 social distancing requirements.

In a normal Memorial Day setting, the Cordova Community Council would work with community residents, the Veterans Administration and Rancho Cordova River City Concert Band for a moving program staged at the VA Medical Center at Mather, or inside the Performing Arts Center at Cordova High School.

However, current conditions made both those settings impossible this year, so fallen veterans will be honored as follows:

• "Flags on Folsom Boulevard” is a 300-flag tribute on Folsom Boulevard. The flags will be installed on Friday, May 23, and remain on display through the Memorial Day holiday on May 25.
• Memorial wreath at Memorial Plaza, located in front of the VA Medical Center, Mather. Republic Services is providing the tribute.
• "Our Gratitude” billboard honors will acknowledge the contributions of 30 veterans of all branches of the service, who would have been spotlighted with a memorial brick ceremony during a standard Memorial Day salute. This Memorial Day, the veterans will be remembered in rotating displays on digital billboards along Highway 50, in cooperation with Clear Channel Outdoor and Outfront Media.

Cordova Community Council event specialist Marie Beckstaiger said the organizing committee for Memorial Day and Veterans Day salutes hope to return to the more personal and moving tributes which have become a signature of Rancho Cordova’s honoring of veterans, both living and deceased.

"This approach was not our first choice,” she said. "But no matter what, we agree with the citizens of Rancho Cordova that honoring brave veterans, especially those who died in the service of our country, is non-negotiable. We hope everyone takes a drive down Folsom Boulevard and to the Memorial Plaza in their honor, and we look forward to the day when we can join together as a community again.”

The Memorial Day tributes are sponsored by Republic Services, City of Rancho Cordova, Atlas Disposal, Michael Baker International, Quick Quack Car Wash, Assemblyman Ken Cooley, Belka & Hagan Families, Rancho Cordova Smiles Dentistry, KP International Market, Folsom Cordova Unified School District, and the Cordova Community Council Foundation.

Flag placement at Sacramento City Cemetery on F May 22 and retrieval on M May 25

Need to be available for both per instructions below: Please follow guidelines below: Any ADULT, civilian citizen, veterans, family members of veterans, individuals who are interested to participate in VAC event on 22 May 2020 9030 hours Sacramento Historic City cemetery please contact event Chairperson directly**ASAP** sending name/ age/ cellphone number /and email address. The same individual must also commit to returning to the Sacramento Historic City cemetery on Monday 25 May 2020 0930 hours to retrieve US flags from grave sites and secure in holding barrels to put in storage shed for next year. NO CHILDREN UNDER 18 will be permitted to sign in to participate per mandate SCPH Has the individual participated in this flag placement mission before? Yes or No This information helps, if individuals have had prior working event experience on how placement of flags is completed in a orderly format this will help expedite the mission ... the importance is to keep time of mission for volunteers to bare minimum of exposure to all elements etc etc. List of 20 to 30 volunteers needs to be completed by 19 May then submitted to Sacramento County Public Health Director to record and monitor all who volunteer... as of today we need 12 to 24 volunteers... each will have to place 250+ flags on headstones This mission will take estimated 3+ hours VAC executive recorder Lisa, has arranged for approved face masks to be issued to each volunteer plus adequate sulply of disposable gloves to change as needed. If you chose to provide your own face mask please advise VAC Commander William Franco III and he will notify VAC executive recorder, Lisa. Kudos to Lisa for her efforts. There are 10 garrison flags to hoist on 50 foot poles at 10 designated locations inside cemetery. If any individuals show up on their own on that morning 0930 Friday 22 May and did not pre register as instructed and are not on list from Sacramento County Public Health Director those individuals will not be allowed inside Sacramento City cemetery to access or participate in our VAC event.. This is not a VAC call this is mandate per agreement with SCPH. .. .there is one list One POC TO collect data from volunteers I reiterate this because I chose to be as clear as possible on dissemination of correct exact information to ensure that this first time one of a kind matrix will flow smooth and be safe and successful for our VAC Commander as VAC as a whole. All pertinent logistics on where to park when to arrive what to wear to be in compliance with SCPH mandates will be emailed to the 20 or 30 volunteers on 19 may ...Wednesday So we need exact data from volunteers by which to send out outline of instruction. POC for volunteers list sign up: vacsac1921@gmail.com 916 370 4681 cell VAC Commander William Franco III VAC event Chairperson Past VAC Commander Phil Rios We at VAC executive board extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation for those who step forward to avoid total cancellation of our historic 73rd VAC annual legacy event... VAC began this ceremony in 1947...FYI LEST They Not Be FORGOTTEN

Commissaries are requiring customers to wear some form of face coverings to enter the building. This policy falls in-line with the 5 April 2020 DoD guidance mandating all individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities to wear face coverings when they cannot maintain 6 feet of social distance in public areas or work centers..