Five Towners celebrate Memorial Day

Three parades are scheduled to take place in two days in the Five Towns to honor all the men and women veterans who were killed during their service time in the U.S. armed forces in commemoration of Memorial Day, which also marks the traditional beginning of the summer season.
“I like to think of the Memorial Day Parade as one of our community event calendar year bookends,” said John Roblin, one of the organizers of the Hewlett-Woodmere parade. “The Memorial Day Parade and the events scheduled for that day to honor our veterans serve as the unofficial start of summer for the community.”
Inwood’s parade will take place on Sunday at noon, beginning at the Inwood Railroad and proceeding down Doughty Boulevard to PFC. John J. Oliveri VFW Post 1582. Parade participants will begin lining up at the railroad’s parking lot at 11:30 a.m.
Appearing in the parade are the Sons of Italy, PFC. John J. Oliveri VFW Post 1582, the Inwood Buccaneers, Peninsula Kiwanis, Lawrence High School’s and Our Lady of Good Counsel’s marching bands. After the parade, there will be a memorial service held at the VFW monument.
The Hewlett-Woodmere parade on Monday, Memorial Day, steps off at 9 a.m. at Irving Place in Woodmere and proceeds down Broadway to Hewlett High School.

Military veterans, honored guests from the community, along with Hewlett High School’s marching band and dance team, the Hewlett and Woodmere fire departments, the school district’s Board of Education will take part in the parade. Afterwards, Woodmere resident and veteran George Sava will speak and there will be entertainments as well as refreshments.
This is the second year of the revitalized Hewlett-Woodmere parade “Last year was a huge success and we’re hoping to build off that,” Roblin said. “Between the Field of Honor at Woodmere Education Center (on May 22) and the parade, we want to remind everyone of the sacrifices our veterans made for our community and country. We also want to try and continue sponsoring events that bring our whole community together.”
The Lawrence-Cedarhurst parade is also on Monday. There will be a service at Zion Park at 10:15 a.m. Then the parade will step off at 11:30 a.m. at the intersection of Washington and Central avenues and proceed to Cedarhurst Memorial Plaza in the Andrew J. Parise Park in Cedarhurst for a memorial service.
Local fire departments, the Lawrence High School band and color guard, local veterans, and other community organizations are expected to be marching in the parade.
Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew Parise, a World War II veteran, invited everyone to the parade. “Before heading to the beach or barbecue, please come and join us in honoring our veterans, living and deceased, in an event that will prove to be a meaningful and enjoyable experience,” he said.