Music, motorcycle run and meals highlight events honoring veterans
If you come to hear Doubletake play, get ready to dance. “The crowds we play to are dancers, so (music to dance to) is what we concentrate on,” says Shirey Helsdon, who forms the duo with her husband, Kent.
Doubletake plays at American Legion Post 19 as one of its regular performances, and it will be back there on Monday as part of the post’s Memorial Day festivities.
Having had different musical influences in their formative years, the Helsdons blend genres.
“We do ‘50s and ‘60s and 70s rock music, and we do country,” Shirey says. “We do a lot of swing music.”
Expect to hear some Elvis, some of Roy Orbison’s music, some Santana and some CCR. But also be ready to some line dance and two-step, 10-step to their music.
Doubletake will provide the entertainment at the legion post, 2575 S Virginia Drive, for the Memorial Day barbecue that kicks off at noon.
Other veterans organizations and two area cemeteries will also stage public events to honor the sacrifices of the nation’s military men and women.
Observances on Monday begin at 7:45 p.m. at the Quechan cemetery in Winterhaven, where Post 19 members and members of other veterans organizations will take part in a service for fallen veterans.
Following that, veterans organizations will go to Gateway Park, where memorial wreaths will be dropped from the Ocean-toOcean Bridge into the Colorado River.
At 10 a.m. Desert Lawn Memorial Park, 1415 S. 1st Ave., will host a service that includes a POW/MIA ceremony led by Mark Martinez, of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1763, and keynote speech by retired Army Col. Robert Filbey, former commander of Yuma Proving Ground.
YPG’s current commander, Col. Ross Poppenberger, will be the speaker at services that begin at 11:30 a.m. at Sunset Vista Funeral Home & Cemetery, 11357 E 40th St.
As part of its annual Memorial Day Run, the Yuma chapter of ABATE, a motorcyclists rights organization, will stop at each of the cemeteries in time for those ceremonies.
The run is open to the public and open not only to motorcycles but all vehicles. Participants will assemble on Main Street just north of Giss Parkway beginning at 8 a.m. Monday and proceed to the Oceanto-Ocean Bridge for the wreath-laying ceremony. They then go to Desert Lawn and the Sunset Vista cemeteries. After the cemetery services, the run proceeds to VFW Post 8242 on Highway 95 for a noon flag-raising ceremony.
ABATE will then host a poker run that will leave from Post 8242. People can sign up for the poker run at that post.
For those planning to attend the American Legion Post 19 barbecue, barbecue beef, beans, cole slaw, tortilla and salsa will be on the. Fee for the meal is $7.75 for adults and $3.50 for kids 12 and under.
At 3 p.m. the post will observe a moment of silence in honor of fallen vets. But after that, people can enjoy the music of Doubletake.
Kent Helsdon himself is a veteran, having served with the Army in Germany, where, his wife, said he played with a rock band. Having played guitar since his teenage years, he played professionally with bands in Tahoe, Reno, elsewhere in Nevada and in Oregon following his military service.
“My background is country, but I’ve learned rock because of him,” said Shirey, who plays keyboards and fiddle in Doubletake.
Having played together for nearly two decades, the couple play at events and establishments in and around Yuma throughout the year.
“The main thing is that when we play, we have fun, and our audience and dancers have fun,” Shirey said.
“We interact a lot with the audience,” she added. “We don’t just stand up there like two sticks.”
Other Memorial Day events on Monday are as follows. All are open to the public:
• VFW Post 6790 in Wellton will lead a procession at 9:45 a.m. from the post, 29389 Oakland Ave., to the town’s cemetery, 11651 William St., where a service will take place at 10. After the service, a hamburger and hot dog lunch will be served back at the post beginning at 11.
• American Veterans Post 330, 8889 S. Frontage Road, will host a flag-raising ceremony at 12:30 p.m. and serve food afterwards. On the menu are hamburgers, hot dogs, macaroni salad, potato salad, cole slaw and chips and dip. Cost of the meal is a $6 donation, with proceeds going to veterans causes. Karaoke entertainment begins at 5 p.m. • VFW Post 1763, 2845 E. 14th St., will host a hamburger and hot dog lunch with salad beginning at 1 p.m. There is no charge.