To the editor:
The Fleet of Flowers, with deep regret, announces that our 80th annual event in Depoe Bay will be significantly scaled back this year.
The charter companies and boat captains have blindsided us and decided to withdraw their participation in our annual Memorial Day celebration due to disagreements with the city of Depoe Bay.
While we support and stand by the captains of our amazing harbor, we first and foremost stand by our mission to honor those whose lives were lost. We are greatly disappointed that our captains will not be taking part this year, as they are the “Fleet” in the “Fleet of Flowers”.
We will not let the meaning of Memorial Day and our beloved event be tainted or used by anyone for political purposes, and it deeply upsets us that participation has been rescinded to make a stand against the city of Depoe Bay.
The Fleet of Flowers is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and celebrating what Memorial Day is truly about. We are not sponsored by the city of Depoe Bay, however the city does make a donation and participate in our event just like many businesses and individuals in our community do. The Fleet of Flowers has people come from all across the country to mourn and celebrate the lives of those who they have lost. We believe this sacred and solemn ceremony should not be used a platform to punish the city for their actions.
The Fleet of Flowers will still be taking place this year but it will look very different. We want to express great thanks to our amazing volunteers, the coast guard, our captains, and the city of Depoe Bay for everything they have done for our event in years past, and we hope a resolution can be reached for our community.
— Kathy Wyatt/Fleet of Flowers/Depoe Bay
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