The end of May is a time of remembrance for the servicemen and women who died while serving in the United States armed forces. Memorial Day is celebrated the last Monday of May. This year, that falls May 26.

A number of local veterans groups around the area will observe Memorial Day by holding services and ceremonies of remembrance.

Whitehall Township will hold a joint veterans program, including Fullerton American Legion Post 367, Hokendauqua American Legion Jones Quigg Post 739, Egypt Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7293 and the Whitehall Police Honor Guard, starting 11:30 p.m. May 26 at the municipal building, 3219 MacArthur Road.

VFW Post 7293 services will begin 9:30 a.m. May 26 at the Cementon memorial on Main Street. Participants will then travel to Egypt for a 10 a.m. service at the Doughboy statue at Park and South Church streets and a 10:30 a.m. service at Egypt Memorial Park, Hillcrest Lane and Curt Simmons Drive. The day will end with a program at VFW Post 7293, 5209 Springmill Road, approximately 12:30 p.m., after the joint service at the municipal building. The VFW’s Memorial Day remembrance will continue until 6 p.m. with free food and beverages for veterans. There is a cost for the nonmilitary.

American Legion Post 367 will hold events May 26, starting 9 a.m., at the Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery with a flag replacement and salute by Fullerton Post Honor Guard. The group then moves to the World War I memorial on Park Street, Fullerton, for 9:30 a.m. There will be a service 10 a.m. at the Post, 609 Fullerton Ave. Mayor Joseph Marx will speak, and there will be a memorial service and salute honoring the veterans who have died in the last year.

Northampton Joint Veterans Association, consisting of American Legion Post 353, Catholic War Veterans Post 454 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4714, will be holding a memorial tribute 11 a.m. May 26 at the veterans plaza, 14th Street and Dewey Avenue. The ceremony will include guest speakers Northampton Mayor Anthony Pristash, state Rep. Zach Mako (R-183rd) and retired Lt. Col. Alex Alexander, U.S. Air Force.

VFW Post 4714 will also conduct memorial tributes at a number of local cemeteries May 26.

The schedule includes 8:30 a.m. at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary cemetery, 9 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic cemetery, 9:30 a.m. at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Orthodox cemetery and 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Hungary cemetery.

The brief ceremony will consist of the national anthem, a prayer, song, roll call, rifle salute, taps and “Amazing Grace.”

Catasauqua American Legion Post 215 has been working to honor veterans by placing American flags on the graves of fallen service members at Fairview Cemetery, Whitehall. The flags are provided by Lehigh County offices in honor of the veterans’ sacrifices.

Bethlehem SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way, will hold a Memorial Day commemoration May 24-26. There will be live music, with bands playing 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and then 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

A Time to Remember ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. May 26 inside the ArtsQuest Center to remember local veterans from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The ceremony will include the national anthem, brief speeches, a reading of names by American Gold Star Mothers, taps and “God Bless America.”

Banners of local veterans will be hung on the fencing around the SteelStacks campus May 23-July 7.

Lehigh Valley Zoo will celebrate Memorial Day 11 a.m.-1 p.m. May 26 with a special princess visit. Join your favorite princesses and sing the national anthem with them around noon. Veterans and current military personnel will also receive free admission with a valid military ID. The zoo is located at 5150 Game Preserve Road, Schnecksville.

Additionally, many local municipalities take part in the Hometown Heroes banner program. Banners are hung on poles, sharing information about a local veteran. If your town takes part in this program, learn more about your local heroes.

However you celebrate Memorial Day this year, make sure you take a moment to thank those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the country.