Despite rainy weather and cloudy skies, Valley Stream residents lined the streets to celebrate Memorial Day at the village’s annual parade.
Veterans involved with the parade said their goal for the event was to educate the public about Memorial Day, specifically the sacrifices many servicemen and women who have died have made to defend the country.
Michael Tamayo, a Valley Stream resident, served as the parade grand marshal this year. Tamayo served in the United States Navy from 2004 to 2010 as a hospital corpsman during the Iraq War. Now, he works as a nurse and is a member of American Legion Post 854.
After the parade, a Memorial Day service was held at the Valley Stream Veterans Memorial. Following the service, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1790 and American Legion Post 854 hosted a joint barbecue.
The barbecue, held at the American Legion, is the first time these organizations have come together to host a barbecue of this size. The goal of these organizations’ collaboration was to grow their relationship with the village and increase community knowledge on the work they do year-round, according to Patrick Clayton, junior vice commander of VFW Post 1790
At the barbecue, guests were able to eat and drink with family and friends while honoring the lives of servicemen and women who died in the line of duty. Admission was free for all who attended.
“Memorial Day is a day set aside from all the rest; to stop and remember those who have sacrificed greatly to protect and serve our great nation,” Mayor Ed Fare said. “Every year on this day we gather here at this monument to honor and pay our respects to those who have made the supreme sacrifice, so that we may live in freedom.”
