First and foremost -- before the hot dogs, the fishing, the three-day weekend -- Monday is Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember the sacrifice of United States men and women who gave their lives while serving in the military. Sometimes overlooked in the push to enjoy every moment of the extended weekend, Memorial Day has roots dating back to the last half of the 1800s.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed in May of 1868, with flowers placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1971, Congress made it a three-day weekend. While many look forward to that as the unofficial beginning of the summer season, others worry that it has taken the meaning out of the holiday.

"Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day," the Veterans of Foreign Wars stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address. "No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.

To keep the meaning of Memorial Day foremost, American Legion Posts in Homer and Ninilchik and the VFW in Anchor Point have scheduled cemetery ceremonies in each community:

* Homer, 10 a.m.

* Anchor Point, noon;

* Ninilchik 2 p.m.

"Another point I'd like to make is that during this busy time we should not forget our veterans, our troops overseas, the ones getting out of service who need jobs and their families," Rocky Frank, commander of VFW Post 10221, wrote in the post's May newsletter.

The southern Kenai Peninsula, from Ninilchik to Seldovia, has plenty of additional activities planned to commemorate the weekend.

As in past years, Ninilchik Emergency Services warms up the griddle and cooks breakfast for visitors to the area, as well as locals. From 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday through Monday, volunteer cooks serve pancakes and all the trimmings at the Ninilchik Fairgrounds. The cost is $8 per person, kids 5-12 are $5 and kids under 5 eat free. There also is a three-day pass for $20.

In Anchor Point, it's a weekend filled with family activities, beginning with a kick-off picnic of hot dogs, chili and chips at Slidehole Campground, 5-9 p.m. Friday. The coordinating committee, head by Ann Bayes, has put in long hours to make this the best Memorial Day weekend since it began this community-wide event six years ago. Back for a return performance it he U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific, performing at Chapman School, 6-8 p.m. Saturday.

"It will be fan-flipping-tastic," Chyrell Richardson of the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce said of the weekend.

Schedules of events are available at the chamber's visitor center, opened from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. throughout the weekend, and at local businesses.

Seafest: A Celebration of the Sea focuses on Homer's relationship to the sea, beginning today and continuing through Monday.

"Festivities abound as businesses, vendors, museums, educators, organizations, visitors, families and even the U.S. Coast Guard come together for a weekend of fun and excitement," said event coordinator Sharon Ford of the Homer Chamber of Commerce.

A schedule of activities can be found on the Web, www.homeralaska.org. It begins with tours on the water today and the singing of sea chanteys this evening. It ends with more getting-to-know the area fun events Monday. In between are numerous activities for all ages, including boatbuilding for kids, oyster slurping, rowboat races, rescue demonstrations by the Coast Guard and presentation by keynote speaker and expedition sea kayaker Sean Morley, originally from the United Kingdom and now from California.

Across the bay in Seldovia, it's a convergence of fun opportunities. Seldovia's fourth annual Craft Invitational Chainsaw Carving Competition begins this afternoon, with awards presented Sunday.

"We're also having a human powered fishing derby this weekend, and a painting party for our local trash cans," said Seldovia resident Jenny Chissus who is helping organize the events. "Artists and fishermen everywhere."

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibbnejackinsky.@homernews.com.