Notes on Memorial Day in Malvern

Monday is Memorial Day, and there are a few things you might be interested to know about it.

Why is Memorial Day held in late May?

This is when flowers are in bloom, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs:

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

In the true spirit of the day, an 89-year-old Malvern veteran named James Rapp and his family decorate the graves of service members each year.

Want to donate to troops stationed overseas? Soldiers' Angels donation bins are set up at several local businesses.

Malvern's 145th Memorial Parade will be held June 2, starting at the firehouse and ending at the Paoli Memorial park. See photos from the 2012 parade.

Run for Freedom 5k will be held before the parade on June 2, also at the Paoli Memorial park. Proceeds benefit a local wounded warrior, Navy Corpsman Jay Raffetto. 

What's open and closed?

• What grocery stores are open Monday?
• What else is open Monday?
• What stores and offfices are closed Monday?
• How will the holiday affect trash pickup?

The Delaware County Veteran's Memorial opened recently on West Chester Pike in Newtown Square.