Local residents will have several events on this upcoming Memorial Day to help remember and pay tribute to the sacrifice of military men and women.

The Walk of Heroes Foundation will hold a ceremony at the Walk of Heroes veteran's memorial at Black Shoals Park in north Rockdale on Monday, May 27, 11 a.m. The park itself will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This year, the Rehorn Family Foundation will award its first ever Medal of Freedom at the ceremony to World War II veteran and former county commissioner Bud Soesbee.

Soesbee, the former chair of the Walk of Heroes board, was a driving force and spearhead in creating the memorial. Soesbee will receive a $10,000 grant from the Rehorn Family Foundation.

The featured speaker will be Winston Menzies, a Vietnam Veteran, former Army Captain and current pastor of Greater Grace Church in Covington and head of the Shepherd's House and Shepherd's thrift stores.

The memorial will also unveil a new 9 foot tall color-coded map of the Walk of Heroes to help visitors envision what the finished memorial will look like.

"This will tell you what enclave is where so people will have a better perspective to what we'll have out there eventually," said WOH Foundation board chair Tommy Clack.

A fundraising raffle with prime prizes will be kicked off at the ceremony. The featured prize is an all-expenses-paid trip package for two to Branson, MO on Veteran's Day weekend in November, a $2,200 value. Other prizes include a Kel-Tec PMR 30 .22 magnum pistol ($600 Value), $500 Coupon to be applied to any cruise offered by GalaxSea Cruises in Conyers, and a Stauer Compendium hybrid watch with two year replacement guarantee ($400 Value). The drawing will be held August 7 (Purple Heart Day). Tickets are $5 each or $10 for three.

"I want to encourage people to come out and participate in the 145th Annual Memorial Day," said Clack.

For more information or purchase raffle tickets, call 770-786-2302.

The American Legion Post 77 will also hold a Memorial Day Ceremony Monday, 11 a.m. at the Post 77 hall, 674 Legion Road NE, with a luncheon served afterwards. The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive right afterwards too.

For more information on the American Legion Post 77 ceremony, call 678-949-2490.

Belmont Baptist Church, at 3275 Iris Drive, will stage a special Memorial Day themed production honoring fallen and missing service men and women. The production will be Sunday, May 26, 10:30 a.m. and is open to the public.