By Paul Wein
On Sunday and Monday, parades will be held and residents, veterans and officials will march through the streets in honor of those lost in war. In addition, there will services in their honor, as well as our country's most patriotic songs played and sung by local students.
Lawrence-Cedarhurst
On Monday, May 29, the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Memorial Day Parade will commence at 10 a.m. at the Lawrence train station, where a memorial service will be held at the Veteran's memorial. The service will be conducted by Father Paul Rahilly of St. Joachim and Rabbi Yaacov Feitman of Bais Yehuda Tzvi. Following the service, the parade will march 1/2 mile east on Central Avenue to the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department, where a second memorial service will take place. Then, the parade will continue on Cedarhurst Avenue to Cedarhurst Park Memorial Plaza, where in addition to honoring those lost, our men and women currently serving abroad will be recognized for their efforts.
"We expect this year's parade to be one of the biggest we've ever had," said Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew Parise, who is on the parade committee. "We've invited the Lawrence High School band and chorus, as well as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Fire Department and the American Legion." Parise said this day holds very special and personal meaning for him. "This is in honor of our fallen comrades, and as a Purple Heart veteran of World War II, it is a very important day. To me, it's the most important day of the year."
Hewlett-Woodmere
The Hewlett-Woodmere Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 29 starting at 10:15 a.m. at St Joseph's R.C. Church on the corner of East Rockaway Road and Broadway and will proceed down Broadway to Brower Avenue in Woodmere. Two services will be held in honor of the fallen soldiers. The first is at 9:30 a.m. at the memorial at the 4th precinct on Sheridan Avenue and Broadway, and the second will take place at the memorial on Conklin Avenue and Broadway as soon as the parade reaches that location. The Hewlett High School band and the Woodmere Fire Department band will play patriotic songs, and the Woodmere Merchant's Association and the Hewlett Business Association will both march in the parade.
"The Hewlett and Woodmere Fire Departments are very honored to honor our fallen heroes and those serving us overseas and at home keeping us safe and free so we may be able to have these parades when we want to do so," said Otto Kohlmier, first assistant chief of the Hewlett Fire Department. "We would like to see a lot of the community come out and support the parade."
Inwood
The Inwood Memorial Day Parade will take place on Sunday, May 28 at 12 noon, gathering for the start of the parade at the V.F.W. Hall on Doughty Blvd, where a memorial service will be held. The parade will begin to march at 1 p.m. from the firehouse on Doughty Blvd and will proceed down Solomon Avenue to Jeanette Avenue, then to Bayview Avenue where the parade will return to Doughty Blvd. and to the V.F.W. Post. The main service will be held at the conclusion of the parade at the monument on Mott Avenue.
The Inwood Memorial Day Observance Committee sponsors the parade, which is comprised of the Inwood Fire Department, P.F.C. John J. Oliveri Post #1582 V.F.W., and the J. Franklin Bell American Legion Post #81. Parade marchers include the Boy and Girl Scouts, the 5T Child Care Center, the 5T Community Center, and the Inwood Civic Association. Attendees are encouraged to wear any Buccaneer clothing or uniform that they may have, or the colors red, white or black. At the conclusion of the parade, free hot dogs and soda will be served.
"Inwood's parade is one of the oldest parades in the Five Towns," said Chief Frank Parise of the Inwood Fire Department. "We've always considered Memorial Day one of the main community gatherings in recognition of veteran's services."
Comments about this story? Pwein@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 204.
