AFTON

Afton’s Memorial Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Pleasant and Main Streets and proceed to the bridge to remember those lost at sea. From there, the procession leads to Foster Park, where the guest speaker will be Thomas Vail. Afton Valedictorian Casey Mohrien will deliver the Gettysburg Address; salutatorian Jonathan Gewerth will recite “Flanders’ Field.” Pastor John Snell will give the invocation. In case of inclement weather, the ceremonies will be held in the Afton Central School auditorium.

BAINBRIDGE

Bainbridge’s Memorial Day program will be dedicated to the memory of three Bainbridge natives: Milford “Dusty” Dyer and Fred Neidlinger, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and Ben Simonds who served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.

The parade will line up at 10 a.m. at Greenlawn Elementary School. A service will be held at 10:15 a.m. at the Greenlawn Cemetery before the parade itself gets underway at 10:30. U.S. Marine Corps veteran Sgt. Roger Barnhart will serve as parade marshall. The parade will wind its way through the village streets to the River Bridge, where veterans will honor sailors lost at sea before continuing on to the Village Green.

American Legion Post 806 Vice Commander Richard Rusakiewicz, USAF retired, will serve as M.C. for the ceremony which will feature a recitation of the Gettysburg Address by Bainbridge - Guilford Valedictorian Steven David Howe and a reading of “Flanders’ Field” by Salutatorian Cody Dillon Woods. The Bainbridge-Guilford High School Marching Band and bag-piper Eric Wilcox will also perform.

EARLVILLE

The parade will begin at the old school on the end of Fayette Street at 10 a.m. Anyone participating in the event is asked to arrive by 9:30. The parade will progress from the school to the cemetery, where Mayor Toni Campbell will give a speech. Pastor Jeremy Stopford of the First Baptist Church will give the invocation. Boys State Delegates Paul Gavett and Robert Marvin will be reading the Gettysburg Address.

The Earlville Fire Department will be paying tribute to their fallen firefighters at 9 a.m. in the Village Park.

Following the parade, the Sons of the American Legion will hold a chicken barbecue in front of the Methodist Church.

GREENE

Greene’s Memorial Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. sharp in front of Moore Memorial Library. Lead by Parade Marshall Bob LaRocque, the parade will include members of the American Legion Post 692 Colorguard, Fire Departments from Greene, Coventry and Brisben, Mayor Marcia Miller and other dignitaries as well as the Greene High School Marching Band and various scouting groups.

The parade will progress down Genesee Street to Memorial Park, where a wreath will be laid at the monument, before proceeding to the bridge, where tribute will be made to veterans lost at sea. From there, the procession will continue to Sylvan Cemetery where an invocation will be made by the post’s chaplain. The post commander and village mayor will each give a short address before the dedication of graves and gun salute takes place. Music will be provided by the Greene High School Marching Band and Chorus.

GUILFORD

The parade will begin at 8 a.m. on School Street and make its way to the Guilford Park where the ceremonies will take place. Any veterans who wish to participate should be at Dexheimer’s storage area on School Street between 7:30 and 7:45.

One highlight of the ceremonies this year will be to honor James Patrick Weir, who grew up in Guilford and was killed in Korea in 1950. Surviving family members and friends of Mr. Weir are expected to attend.

A reception will be held at the Guilford United Methodist Church on Main Street immediately after the parade. This will serve as both a time for celebrating veterans, and as a recognition ceremony for the 2009 GHS Citizen of the Year. Displays of documents and photos will be available for viewing, as well as the raffle of a patriotic quillow, which is a blanket that folds up into a pillow.

McDONOUGH

The celebration begins at 11 a.m. with the parade featuring the Oxford Academy and Central High School Marching Band, American Legion members, Firemen and Fire Auxiliary from several area units, horse back riders and fire equipment. The parade will begin at the ball field and proceed to Union Cemetery where an address will be delivered by the speaker of the day arranged for by the American Legion Post. The Legionnaires have placed flags on the graves of the veterans in all the cemeteries in and around McDonough. The Firemen have also placed flags on the graves of former firemen. Following the ceremony the United Methodist Church will be serving a Chicken Barbecue Dinner at the Fire Station beginning at noon. The barbecue chicken is from Brook’s House of Barbecue. Other items on the menu include potato salad, baked beans, applesauce, rolls & butter, choice of beverages and home made pies and cakes by the ladies of the church. Take outs are available.

NEW BERLIN

Frank H. Arnold Post 348 of the American Legion is pleased to announce that Terry Bresina, will be the guest speaker at the Memorial Day services, which will start with a parade at 9:30 a.m. leaving Hyde Park and proceeding south on North Main Street and entering the Milford Academy School lawn on South Main Street where the ceremonies will take place at approximately 9:50 a.m.

Any organization is invited to participate that wishes to honor the day. All those marching should have their units at Hyde Park between 9 and 9:30 a.m., the starting time.

A flag burning ceremony at the New Berlin Fire House will follow Memorial Day service. There will be an open house at the American Legion Post right after the ceremonies, with refreshments provided by the Legion and Legion Auxiliary.

NORWICH

From 9:30 to 9:45 a.m., participants in the Memorial Day parade will line up at the VFW, located at 61 East Main Street in Norwich. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and proceed up East and West Main Streets to the West Side Park, where ceremonies will continue in front of the WWII Monument.

Master of ceremonies Frank Revoir, Past Commander of American Legion Post 189, will introduce this year’s guest speaker, Colonel Edward B. Downey (USAR), 98th Training Division (IET), Rochester. The National Anthem will be sung by the NHS chorus, and the “echo” taps to be played by buglers from the NHS band.

Following the conclusion of the ceremonies, the Honor Guards from the American Legion and VFW Posts will conduct military services at the Mount Hope and St. Paul’s cemeteries respectively, for local veterans buried there. A wreath will be placed in the Canasawacta Creek in memory of those lost at sea.

The American Legion will host refreshments and a light lunch at its facility, located at 29 Sheldon St. American Legion Post 189 will also conduct the dignified and respectful disposal of unserviceable American and state flags.

OXFORD

The Oxford American Legion’s Fort Hill Post has planned several activities, including five memorial services and a parade for Memorial Day. The events will begin at 8 a.m. with a wreath laying ceremony and rifle salute at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery on West State Street, followed by the parade at 9:30 a.m.

The parade, which will begin at the American Legion Post 376 at 17 South Washington Avenue, will be lead by the Post 376 Color Guard and Rifle Squad, Legionnaires, Sons of the American Legion (SAL’s), and the Auxiliary. Participants in the parade will include the Oxford Fire Department, Brisben Fire Department and the Oxford High School Marching Band as well as local scouting groups and 4-H members.

A salute honoring those who died at sea will be given at the Main Street Bridge as the parade makes its way to the Riverview Cemetery on Albany Street. A ceremony will be held at the cemetery featuring several speeches, a rifle salute and a reading of the Roll Call of the Deceased.

Following the Riverview Cemetery ceremony, Legion members will visit the NYS Veterans’ Home residents before the color guard travels to the Warn Ten Broeck Cemetery in South Oxford, to place a wreath and salute the deceased.

Following the parade, there will be a chicken barbecue hosted by the Sons of the American Legion across from the Oxford post.

For more information, contact American Legion Post 376 Commander Jim Caron at 843-5018; or e-mail carondl@frontiernet.net.

SHERBURNE

The Sherburne American Legion Post 876, along with the Sherburne-Earlville Marching band will help their neighboring communities of Smyrna and Earlville to celebrate their Memorial Day festivities before the events in Sherburne officially begin. Sherburne’s events will begin as legion members travel to the bridge on Blandings Road to drop a wreath into the water in honor of the Navy Veterans who have passed away. Following that event, participants will travel back to the Sherburne American Legion to begin their Memorial Day Parade at 11 a.m. The Sherburne Band, Legion Members, Boy Scouts and cars carrying veterans will travel along the parade route, which goes up East State Street to the Episcopal Church Cemetery. A small service will be held at the cemetery, and then participants will travel back to the legion for another service there. The service at the legion will include a special guest speaker and presentations by three local students. Nikki Button, a Girl State attendee will discuss Gold Star Mothers. Brian Martin will present the Gettysburg Address and Connor Edwards will speak on Flanders Field. For more information, contact the Sherburne Legion at 674-9201.

SMYRNA

Smyrna Memorial Day services will kick off with a parade at 9 a.m. The Sherburne American Legion and the Sherburne-Earlville Marching Band will participate in the parade which will begin by the Baptist Church and travel to the monument on the west end of town. Smyrna’s Bicentennial Committee, which formed during the 2008 bicentennial celebration, plans to place flags on the graves of veterans in the cemeteries of Smyrna. The committee began the practice last year and hopes to continue.

SOUTH OTSELIC

The American Legion Post 973, South Otselic and its Auxiliary have coordinated a Memorial Day program that will include a parade, Memorial Day Service at the Valley View Cemetery on WWII Lane and a chicken barbecue and buffet at the post on Valley View Road.

The parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Harley Richer, Jr., South Otselic natives, will travel from their home in Greer, S.C., to accept the invitation to be parade marshals. Mr. Richer is a WWII veteran and a 62 year American Legion member.

Immediately following the parade, ceremonies at the cemetery will begin with the playing of the National Anthem by the OVCS marching band, followed by the invocation by Post Chaplain Rupert Pearson. Past Post Commander Jack Conklin will deliver the Legion address before a wreath is placed at the veteran’s monument. Taps and the echo will be played by OVCS students. Winners of the 2009 essay contest will read their winning entries. The theme for this year’s essays and parade is “What America Means to Me.”

Businesses, organizations, school classes and all veterans are invited to participate in the parade. Those interested should be at the OVCS parking lot on Maple Ave. at 10:30 a.m. for the parade line up. For questions, call 653-7885.