by MIKE CAPUTO
Her father, Louis J. Basile, a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient, always brought his family to the annual march through the Five Towns, sporting ceremonial poppies and American flags.
Many Memorial Days later, she is now Mary Ellen Stock, and as she sat on a Cedarhurst Park bench with her husband, Gerald, on Monday, she explained the recurring theme of the morning. "It's a day of respect for our country and our vets," she said.
The feeling of respect would last through the parades and into the barbecues each year. "We always had barbecues on Memorial Day, when family got together and respected each other," Mary Ellen said. "That's the whole thing. You go back and fight the next day," she joked.
"But at that barbecue, everything was cool," her husband added.
A diverse gathering of community members stood together as one in Cedarhurst Park on a sun-soaked Memorial Day to pay homage to those who have served America. Nearly 1,000 people from all corners of the Five Towns attended at least a portion of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Memorial Day parade, which began after a short prayer service at the Lawrence Memorial in Zion Park, made its way along Central and Cedarhurst avenues and concluded at Cedarhurst Park.
When parade participants began to disperse after crossing the Cedarhurst Avenue railroad tracks, Dr. George Elkowitz corralled fellow veterans from the Lawrence-Cedarhurst American Legion Post No. 339 to proudly pose for a group photo. Asked later what Memorial Day means to him, Elkowitz simply pointed at a tribute poem to veterans he included in the event program. The poem depicts veterans as providers of everyday freedoms to Americans.
This year's remembrance ceremony differed from those in years past because it was the only parade marching through the Five Towns on Memorial Day. For the first time, the Hewlett-Woodmere Memorial Day parade combined with the Lawrence-Cedarhurst event.
Although several members of the Inwood VFW - PFC John J. Oliveri Post No. 1582 - attended the ceremonies in Cedarhurst Park, they continued their yearly tradition with their own parade on Sunday afternoon. The Inwood vets, and many community members, also enjoyed a sun-filled day of remembrance and reflection along Doughty Boulevard.
The Lawrence High School marching band, led by music director Gary Schall, performed at both parades. LHS singers Katelyn Hearfield, Minna Shin and Michelle Brenner also performed several pieces during Monday's program, including the national anthem and "Amazing Grace."
Fire chief Donovan Wright, who co-chaired the event, led the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department, along with members of the Inwood, Woodmere and Hewlett departments, during the parade.
The Cedarhurst Park ceremony began with "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by short prayers by Five Towns spiritual leaders.
Escorted by Army Sgt. David Jones of Freeport, Elkowitz walked the brick path for a special station-by-station remembrance that began with the reading of the veterans' plaque near the park entrance. Following a salute of guns and the playing of taps, Elkowitz joined fellow Legion member Nick Orlando to place a memorial wreath by the flag pole.
Elkowitz and Jones continued up the brick path to the 9/11 memorial for a short service to honor those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Afterward, lifelong Five Towner and Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew Parise said this was the largest gathering for a Memorial Day parade "by far."
"We had no other motives except to remembers those, the real heroes who didn't come back," said Parise, a veteran and a member of the L-C American Legion. "They call us heroes, but we are here. The real heroes are left behind, unfortunately."
Comments?MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-400ext. 210.
