Afton

Afton’s Memorial Day Parade begins at 10 a.m. Monday; lineup takes place at the corner of Main and Pleasant Avenue. Parade route proceeds down Main Street to bridge overlooking Susquehanna River for a short program, then continues to Foster Park for the ceremony. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at the Afton Central School auditorium.

Master of Ceremonies will be Mayor Sally Muller. Guest Speaker will be Chenango County Sheriff Ernest Cutting. Officiating clergy will be Pastor Brandilynne Craver of the No. Afton United Methodist Church.

Marching in parade: VFW, VFW Auxiliary, American Legion, Afton Central School band, girl scouts, boy scouts, brownies, cub scouts, Afton Alumni Association, Afton Central School children.

Also, decorated bikes/tricycles, antique cars and tractors, motorcycles, firemen and firemen’s auxiliary, emergency squad and equipment, horses

During ceremony, patriotic songs will be sung by father and daughter duo, John and Kaitlyn Jackson.

Bainbridge

This year, Bainbridge’s Memorial Day program will be dedicated to all men and women who have given their lives in the defense of our nation and the freedoms we are privileged to enjoy.

At 10 a.m. the parade will line up at Greenlawn Elementary School. A brief service will be held at 10:15 a.m. at the Greenlawn Cemetery before the parade itself gets underway at 10:30. U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Andrew J. McFee, a 2006 graduate of Bainbridge-Guilford and a 2010 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, 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.

Col. Randy Lambrecht, New York Army National Guard, retired, will serve as M.C. for the ceremony which will feature a recitation of the Gettysburg Address by Bainbridge resident Jacob Taylor and a reading of “Flanders’ Field” by B-G Salutatorian Lucas M. Winn. The Bainbridge-Guilford High School Marching Band and bag-piper Eric Wilcox will also perform.

World War II veterans Seward Gilbert and Socrates Nelis, who was also a prisoner of war, will be honored by American Legion Post 806 for their years of service to the organization. Gilbert has been a member of the veterans organization for 60 years; Nelis for 50.

Earlville

The Earlville American Legion is having its Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 31 starting at the Earlville Quickway at 10 a.m.

Greene

Greene’s Memorial Day Parade will step off promptly at 10 a.m. in front of Moore Memorial Library. Lead by Parade Marshall Harry Pollard, a WWII veteran, the parade will include members of the American Legion Post 692 Colorguard, the Greene and Genegantslet Fire Departments, Mayor Marcia Miller and other dignitaries as well as the Greene High School Marching Band. Local scouting groups will display state flags to honor veterans from other states.

The parade will progress down Genesee Street to Memorial Park, where a wreath will be laid at the village’s WW I 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 Guilford Fire Department annual Memorial Day parade be held May 31. A reception to follow provided by the Guilford Methodist Church Ladies and the Guilford Historical Society. Lineup for the parade is at 7:30 a.m. on School Street. The veterans may choose to march, ride in vehicles, or they may sit in the park in a special seating area. Participants planning to parade should be at the parking lot at the end of School Street no later than 7:45 a.m.

The parade and program will feature the Bainbridge-Guilford Marching band, the recitation of the Gettysburg Address, a prayer and benediction, and a speech by our Fire Chief Bruce Macumber. The Guilford Historical Society (GHS) will do a presentation about a local veteran and present their 2010 Citizen of the Year award. All veterans in attendance will be personally introduced. The end of the program will feature Paul Flores, the vocal soloist.

Following the parade, GHS invites everyone to attend their third annual Veterans Recognition Ceremony being held at the Guilford Methodist Church. Refreshments will be provided. Activities taking place at the ceremony include: interviewing of the attending veterans and sharing of their military experiences, the reading of the Missing in Action poem, a Power Point presentation of last year’s Memorial Day festivities, an update on the GHS Wreaths project, and the explanation of the GHS Cemetery Signs project. There will also be displays of local veterans photographs, posters of other GHS activities, a scrapbook containing veterans information from the 1940s and 1950s, and a March, 1943 article containing the names of former “Bendix” employees then in military service.

McDonough

The parade will begin at 11 a.m. The Oxford Marching Band will come up after the Oxford parade. An interesting feature this year is a refurbished Army truck belonging to Matt Sherman.  It will pull a trailer with several older veterans seated on it. The parade will travel from the ball field up to the Union Cemetery, where the American Legion will have a ceremony. 

Following the parade, the Fire Auxilliary will serve a chicken barbeque dinner at the Fire Station. The chicken will be prepared by Brooks of Oneonta. There will be potato salad and homemade pies.

 

New Berlin

Frank H. Arnold Post 348 of the American Legion is pleased to announce that Chenango County Undersheriff James Lloyd will be the guest speaker at the Memorial Day services to be held in the village of New Berlin on Monday.

Memorial Day observances 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.

The following order of march is suggested: American Legion, Unadilla Valley Central School Band and Color Guard, Brownies, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Pittsfield Fire Department, New Berlin Fire Department and any other organization or units that want to take part.

All Veterans, no matter what branch you served in or the time frame of your service, are requested to (fall in) behind the America Legion and participate in the parade.

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.

Post 348 asks all people of the area to honor the day with display of our National Flag and observance of the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Please, all American Legion members are requested to participate in this Memorial Day Service. If you are able to take part in the parade by marching, you will need to be at the legion home by 9 a.m. If you are unable to march, try to be in front of the Milford Academy, on the terraces by 9:45 a.m. or as soon as the parade ends, to show your support.

The community is invited to an open house at the American Legion Post right after the ceremonies. There will be refreshments provided by the Legion and Legion Auxiliary.

Norwich

Lt. Warren E. Eaton, DSC, American Legion Post 189 Commander Brian Joy has announced the Memorial Day events for Monday, May 31, to honor veterans of all wars, including, the victims of September 11, 2001, the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, POWs, MIAs and active military personnel worldwide.

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 WW II Monument.

Master of ceremonies Frank Revoir, Past Commander, American Legion Post 189, will introduce this year’s guest speaker, Tracy Chawgo, Fire Chief, City of Norwich, who served as a Medic in the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1987.

Parade participants will include the Norwich City Police and Fire Departments, the Norwich High School (NHS) Marching Band, American Legion Post 189, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion, American Legion Riders, VFW Post 2782, VFW Auxiliary, boy scouts, cub scouts, girl scouts and brownies. 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 Memorial Day ceremonies, at the West Side Park, 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 a light lunch and refreshments at its facility, located at 29 Sheldon St. in Norwich. American Legion Post 189 will also conduct the dignified and respectful disposal of unserviceable American and state flags.

Otselic

The Perry Cook American Legion and Auxiliary, South Otselic, will be sponsoring the Memorial Day parade and chicken barbecue to be held May 31. The parade will start at the Otselic Valley Junior/Senior High School at 11 a.m. and will continue to the cemetery for the Memorial Day service. Robert and Teddie Arnell will have the honor as parade marshals and this year’s theme is “It’s a Grand Old Flag.”

Winners of the fifth and sixth grade essay contest, titled “What is a Veteran,” will read their essays. Winners are: Travis Aleieri (1st), Jennifer Centner (2nd) and Chelsea Amos (3rd) for the fifth grade and Ella Costa (1st), Macey Rawson (2nd) and Jansen Waltz (3rd) for the sixth grade.

Anyone wishing to participate in the parade should be at the school at 10:30 a.m. and all veterans are welcome to participate.

A chicken barbecue will be held at the American Legion Post following the parade at noon.

Oxford

The Oxford American Legion’s Fort Hill Post will begin the day at 8 a.m. Monday with the wreath laying ceremony and rifle salute at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery on West State Street.

Following that, at 9:30 a.m., the parade will line up at the Oxford American Legion Post # 376, at 17 South Washington Avenue. The parade, stepping off (new time) at 10 a.m., will be led by the Post # 376 Color Guard and Rifle Squad, Legionnaires, Sons of the American Legion (SAL’s), and the Auxiliary. As always, the parade will feature the Village of Oxford Fire Department, The Fire Department Explorers, and the Fire Dept. Auxiliary. In addition, the Brisben Volunteer Fire Department will have one fire truck following the Oxford Fire Dept. As always, the parade will feature the Oxford Blackhawk Marching Band. The band will be followed by marching Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Daisy Troop and 4-H members.

A salute honoring those who died at sea will be given at the Main Street Bridge (that crosses over the Chenango River).

The parade continues up the hill on Albany Street to the Riverview Cemetery with a ceremony and speeches honoring the memory of the departed and a rifle salute. Post Commander, Jim Caron, will give a greeting and the Roll Call of the Deceased will be read by the Post Chaplain. Officiating clergy will read a prayer. The Pledge of Allegiance will be read by John Wonka and the Gettysburg Address will be read by Jacob Carr, two of the American Legion Boys’ State delegates. Also attending with be Kenneth Formato, Boys’ State delegate and Booker Davis, alternate. The marching band will provide patriotic music under the direction of Julie Solomon and Nicholas Natoli.

The band will then go to McDonough to march in the Memorial Day Parade.

Following the Riverview Cemetery ceremony, Legion members will visit the NYS Veterans’ Home residents. The color guard, selected clergy and guest speakers will hold a memorial service in the recreation room. The Home’s Director of Activities, Allen Hopson, will be hosting the program.

Lastly, (around noon) the color guard will go to the Warn Ten Broeck Cemetery (seven miles south of Oxford), to place a wreath and to salute the deceased.

There will be a fund raising chicken barbecue at the Legion by the SAL at 11 a.m. at the South Washington Avenue Legion (on the Route 12 side), after the parade.

For more info, contact Post 376 Commander Jim Caron: 244-4542; or email pearlcasinoflydelta@yahoo.com.

Smyrna

The Memorial Day Parade will feature the Sherburne-Earlville School Marching Band and the Sherburne American Legion, along with other community members celebrating. Matt Thompson will start the festivities by singing “God Bless America” at the Smyrna Fire House.  Those participating need to be in Smyrna at their locations by 8:30 to line up. The people walking in the parade, riding bicycles will meet at the Smyrna Baptist Church. Folks riding  horses will congregate at Maple Ave and join in the parade from there. Everyone who is driving antique cars, tractors, and ATV’s or Motorcycles will meet at the driveway to Baillie Lumber access Road. Then there will be refreshments for folks at the firehouse immediately after the parade where Emilee Smith will entertain with patriotic selections. 

There will be a brief reading for the public about the history of how the stone was brought to the village and the family who donated it for the Memorial Monument.  There will also be a display of pictures and names honoring veterans from the past and the present who are from the area.  If you haven’t already done so, call Penny Eggleston at 627-6223 with the name of your veteran and the branch of the military he or she served in.

Smyrna will be honored guests this year, Mr. Leon Brown and Mrs. Harlie Stowell.  They will be seated across from the monument while the American Legion members salute all who have served in the Armed Forces. 

South New Berlin

The Harold McIntyre American Legion has set up Memorial Day parade and ceremonies for May 31.

The program will begin at 11 a.m. at the South New Berlin Fire House with parade line up at the fire house at about 11:45 a.m.

Parade route: Starting at the Fire house the parade will proceed south on State Highway 8 stopping at the American Legion Post located at the four corners. The parade will then proceed down to the Riverside cemetery.

This year’s parade marshals are Ken Dibbell and “Doc” DeBoer.

Master of ceremonies will be Chief Petty Officer Samuel Gainfort, USN (Retired). Guest speaker will be the Honorable Irad Ingraham former New York State Supreme Court Justice.

Music for the program and parade will be provided for the Unadilla Valley Central School Band (led by Beth DuVall & Gregory Maistros) with vocal music selections by the Holmesville’s Men’s Ensemble. A short service, military honors, and final prayers will be held at the Riverside Cemetery concluding the program. Area adults and children are invited to meet at the library to decorate their bikes and ride in the parade. There will be a Chicken Barbecue at Fire House and an Old Home Day Dinner at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall today immediately following. Area floats are invited.

Sherburne

About 25 members of the Sherburne American Legion, along with their sons and members of the American Legion Auxiliary, are anticipated to march in the annual Sherburne Memorial Day Parade on Monday.

Lead by Sherburne American Legion Post 876 Commander Orville Jones, the parade, various prayer services and commemorative speeches will be conducted at locations in the village and in Smyrna and Earlville.

New York State Senator James L. Seward has accepted an invitation to speak as part of the morning’s activities at the Post House, located on 15 S. Man Street, Sherburne.

In addition to the Legionnaires, the parade also features the Sherburne/Earlville Band, area firemen, and the troops of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, according to House Chairman William Hodges.

The band begins at 9 a.m. in the Village of Smyrna and the parade ends with a gun salute and a wreath laid at the fallen heroes’ monument.

At 10 a.m., the band will parade in Earlville, beginning at the Earlville American Legion. At the same time, Sherburne American Legion members will travel to Blanding Road in Sherburne where, at the Chenango River bridge, a wreath will be cast into the water and a prayer service held to remember those who served their country in time of war.

Beginning at 11 a.m., the Sherburne Memorial Day Parade gets underway at East State Street in the Village of Sherburne. The procession ends at the Episcopal Church Cemetery on Summit Street where more prayer services and a gun salute will memorialize the sacrifices of veterans of war. Then, the Sherburne Earlville Band will play, in a special performance, for residents of the Pratt Newton Home, 12 S. Main St.

Back at Post 876, and beginning at approximately 11:45, three students who have been selected to participate in the American Legion Boy’s and Girl’s State programs at Morrisville College will give speeches. Will Slentz will give the Gettysburg Address and Daniel Bagnall will recite “In Flanders Fields, one of the most notable poems written during World War I. A candidate for Girl’s State will also speak. The Post also elected student James Behret to Boy’s State this year.

Boys and Girl’s State is a week-long summer program, sponsored by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary, that teaches courses in political science, citizenship and leadership to sponsored high school students between their junior and senior years.