Take Part In Memorial Day Events
Every heart will beat true for the red, white and blue this weekend at a host of parades and ceremonies scheduled this Memorial Day weekend in the Times Newsweekly coverage area to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation through the years.
All are invited to come out and watch Memorial Day marches featuring members of local veterans organizations and community groups, scout troops, elected officials, marching bands and officers in the Armed Forces. There will also be gatherings at local war monuments where solemn tributes to the fallen will be offered.
Among the events scheduled to take place rain or shine this weekend include the following:
Ridgewood/Glendale
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly is scheduled to join soldiers, local veterans groups and community organizations in marching down Myrtle Avenue during the annual Ridgewood-Glendale Memorial Day Parade scheduled for Monday morning, May 28.
Organized by the Allied Veterans Memorial Committee of Ridgewood and Glendale, the march will begin at 11 a.m. with a ceremony at the Ridgewood Memorial Triangle, located at the corner of Myrtle and Cypress avenues.
Following the brief tribute, the participants will walk west along Myrtle Avenue in tribute to the more than 1.14 million men and women who lost their lives while serving in the Armed Forces in the nation’s wars.
Peter Garon of the Lt. Alfred Lucia Chapter 118 of the Disabled American Veterans in Glendale will serve as the parade’s grand marshal, while Kelly-a U.S. Marine Corps veteran-is the parade’s special guest.
Numerous marching bands will be participating in the parade, which will also feature members of the Franklin K. Lane High School ROTC, the County Tyrone Pipe Band, the Coastal Patrol Cadet Corps, the First Marine Cadet Corps and a host of community and youth groups.
The march will conclude with a memorial ceremony at the Glendale Memorial Triangle, located at the corner of Myrtle and Cooper avenues.
Maspeth
Soldiers who are returning home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will be honored in a special way during Maspeth’s Memorial Day Parade on Sunday afternoon, May 27.
Sponsored by the United Veterans and Fraternal Organizations of Maspeth, the march will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday from Garlinge Memorial Triangle at the corner of Grand Avenue and 72nd Street. From there, the procession will wind its way through the neighborhood before concluding with a memorial service at 2 p.m. at Maspeth Memorial Park, located at the corner of 69th Street and Grand Avenue.
Themed “Maspeth Welcomes Home Our Troops,” the parade will be led by the 319th Statue of Liberty Army Band. Twelve bands and performers from the USO are also scheduled to participate along with over 60 Marines, Sailors and a color guard. More than 1,000 civilians are also expected to march or ride along the parade route in floats, antique cars and Army vehicles.
Serving as grand marshals for the march, as reported in last week’s issue, are Capt. Laura Zimmerman and James O’Kane of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce.
During the ceremony at Maspeth Memorial Park, two local World War II veterans-Paul Plack and Michael Tasik-will be honored for their service to the country. Plack joined the Navy at age 17 and served as a petty officer on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Tarawa.
Tasik joined the Army in 1943 and was part of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. He also participated in the liberation of Paris and the rescue of prisoners from the Bukenval concentration camp.
Middle Village
Members of the St. Margaret Catholic War Veterans Post 1172 will pay tribute to fallen soldiers with a Memorial Day Mass on Monday morning, followed by a ceremony at a local war memorial monument.
The Mass will be held at 9 a.m. at St. Margaret Church, located at the corner of Juniper Valley Road and 80th Street. Then at 11 a.m., post members and the public will gather for a memorial ceremony at the Middle Village Veterans Triangle, at the confluence of Gray and 77th streets and 66th Road.
During the ceremony, members will display colors, lay wreaths at the monument, play “Taps” and other patriotic songs and fire off a military salute.
Forest Hills
Forest Hills will pay tribute to America’s military in grand style with their Memorial Day Parade which is scheduled to take place on Sunday beginning at noon.
Organized by the American Legion Continental Post 1424, the march will step off at noon sharp from the corner of Ascan and Metropolitan avenues. From there, the procession will head west along Metropolitan Avenue to Trotting Course Lane, then turn right to Remsen Cemetery Park, located at the corner of Trotting Course Lane and Alderton Street.
Leading the way will be the two grand marshals of the Forest Hills parade: Robert O’Malley, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service during the Vietnam War; and Barbara Stuchinski, president of the Forest Hills Community and Civic Association.
Numerous marching bands, community organizations and scout troops are also scheduled to march in the parade. The procession will conclude with a memorial service at Remsen Cemetery Park.
Woodside
Veterans in Woodside will honor those who never made it home from the field of battle with a Memorial Day Parade around the community scheduled to take place on Monday morning.
Sponsored by the St. Sebastian Catholic War Veterans Post 870, the event will take place following a 10 a.m. Mass at St. Sebastian Church, located at the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 58th Street. Once Mass has ended, the participants will walk over to the Woodside Vietnam War Memorial at the corner of 57th Street and Woodside Avenue.
Post members will lay wreaths, play “Taps” and fire off a military salute at the monument. Msgr. Michael Hardiman, pastor of St. Sebastian Church and chaplain of Post 870, is also scheduled to offer prayers.
Following the ceremony, the participants will march down 39th Avenue, 61st Street and Woodside Avenue, making stops at war memorials in front of Post 870’s headquarters on 61st Street and at Woodside Plaza at the corner of Roosevelt and Woodside avenues.
As with the Vietnam War memorial, post members will play Taps, lay wreaths and fire a military salute at each monument along the parade route.
The march will conclude at the World War I memorial at Doughboy Playground, located at the corner of 56th Street and Woodside Avenue.
