GUILFORD

Calling all local veterans of war and peace time, we welcome you to march, ride or visit us on Memorial Day.

The Guilford Fire Department annual Memorial Day parade will be held May 30. 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 am.

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 Supervisor George Seneck. The Guilford Historical Society (GHS) will do a presentation commemorating the anniversary of the Civil War and the “Men of Guilford” and present their 2011 Citizen of the Year award. All veterans in attendance will be personally introduced. The program will also feature Paul Flores, vocal soloist.

Following the parade, GHS invites everyone to attend their fourth annual Veterans Recognition Ceremony being held at the Guilford United 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 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 book honoring Guilford veterans of the Civil War.

Come celebrate Memorial Day in Guilford and honor our local veterans, past and present. Call 895-6405 if you can march or ride in the parade. There will also be chairs available at the park gathering.

McDONOUGH

Each year friends and relatives from near and far gather in McDonough for Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. At 9 a.m. there will be a bake sale at the Town Hall prepared by the excellent bakers of Kelley Grange. The Memorial Celebration begins at 11 with a 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, motorcycle units and fire equipment. The parade will form at the ball field and proceed to Union Cemetery where an address will be delivered by the speaker of the day, Oxford Historical Society President Fred Lanfear. 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 there will be a bake sale by the Ladies of the Legion Auxiliary at the Legion Hut and the United Methodist Church will be serving a chicken barbecue dinner at the Fire Station beginning at noon. The chicken is from Brook’s House of Barbeque. 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 Village of New Berlin Mayor, Terry Potter will be the guest speaker at the Memorial Day services to be held in the village of New Berlin on Monday, May 30.

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 participate.

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.

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 am. If you are unable to march, please 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.

Don’t forget the open house at the American Legion Post right after the ceremonies.

Again, there will be refreshments provided by the Legion and Legion Auxiliary.

NORWICH

Commander Brian Joy has announced the Memorial Day events for Monday, May 30 to honor veterans of all wars, POWs, MIAs, plus the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack, the present day conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan and active duty 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 am, 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, Jim Currie, Vice President Operations, Frontier Communications, who enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served a tour in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969.

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.

OXFORD

Memorial Day has become the most important day of recognition of our armed forces. On this Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, many homes and businesses along the parade route will be decorated with American flags and red, white and blue flowers to honor veterans and active service personnel who have served or have given their lives. Several activities -including five memorial services and a parade- will take place in Oxford beginning at 8 A.m.

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

Following that, at 9:30, 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, 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 Academy and Central High School’s ‘Pride of the Valley,’ the Blackhawk Marching Band. The band will be followed by marching 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). This includes the Oxford Legion’s Auxiliary president, Louzetta “Lou” Page, performing the wreath ceremony, tossing a memorial wreath into the Chenango River, followed by a rifle salute.

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. Past Post Commander, Ray Krygier, 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 led by Christopher Marks and the Gettysburg Address will be read by Ryan Moore, two of the American Legion Boys’ State delegates. Also attending will be Adam Pierson, Boys’ State delegate. The principle address will be presented by guest speaker, the honorable Village of Oxford Mayor Terry M. Stark. The Oxford 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 there at 11 a.m.

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, Allan 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, First Vice Commander, Ron Blanford: 843-2275; or email nanamb@frontiernet.net.

SHERBURNE/SMYRNA/EARLVILLE

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.

John Nixon, Post Secretary, will be the featured speaker. The Post House is located on 15 S. Main St., 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, where Greg Fuller will donate a new flag pole in memory of his late father, veteran Aubrey Fuller. The legion will donate and raise a new flag on the pole, present a wreath and conduct a short service followed by a traditional gun salute for Smyrna’s fallen heroes.

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 Navy veterans who served their country in time of war. Cub Scout and Sherburne Earlville Middle School fifth grader Thad Karaman will play taps.

Beginning at 11 a.m., the Sherburne Memorial Day Parade gets underway at East State Street in the Village. 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. The parade ends with a gun salute and a wreath laid at the fallen heroes’ monument.

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, the Post will recognize three students who participated in the American Legion Boy State programs at Morrisville College last year and introduce this year’s participants, Cole Hodges and Alex Rodriguez. Hodges will recite “In Flanders Field,” one of the most notable poems written during World War I.

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.

All are invited to enjoy a light lunch at the American Legion, 15 S. Main Street, Sherburne, beginning at noon.

SOUTH NEW BERLIN

Harold McIntyre American Legion #1289 will host Memorial Day events on May 30. 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.

Parade route starts at the Fire house the parade will proceed south on State Highway 8 stopping at the American Legion Post (located at the four corners) then proceed south to the Riverside cemetery.

Parade Marshals are Ken Dibbell and “Doc” DeBoer.

Master of ceremonies will be Chief Petty Officer Samuel Gainfort, USN (Retired).

Speakers and/or tributes: Guest speaker will be Assemblymen Clifford W. Crouch of the 107th District of New York.

Additional information: Music for the program and parade will be provided for by the Unadilla Valley Central School (UVCS) Band (led by Gregory Maistros) with vocal music selections by the Holmesville’s Men’s Ensemble and Susan Davis. Taps played by John King and laying of ceremonial wreath by UVCS kindergarten students Emily Nichols and Connor Warren. 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 Ham Dinner at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall today immediately following. Area floats are invited.

SOUTH OTSELIC

The South Otselic Perry Cook American Legion, Post 973, its Auxiliary Unit and the Sons of the American Legion will hold its annual Memorial Day Parade and chicken barbecue beginning at 11 a.m. on Monday at the Otselic Valley High School.

The parade will make its way to the Valley View Cemetery for the Memorial Day service and Son of the American Legion Franklin Goodrich will be this year’s speaker. Mr. and Mrs. Oswald Myers and Mr. William Mandeville will have the honor of participating as this year’s Parade Marshals.

Winners of the fifth and sixth grade Memorial Day Essay Contest will read their submissions and the theme of this year’s Memorial Day Parade and service is “What Freedom Means to Me.”

Fifth grade winners include Corbin Learned, 1st place; Sam Campbell, 2nd place and Whitney Hamlin, 3rd place. Sixth grad winners include Dakota Lolar, 1st place; Jillian Waltz, 2nd place and Emma Stone, 3rd place.

Anyone wishing to participate in the parade should be at the school no later than 10:30 a.m. The chicken barbecue will be held at the Perry Cook American Legion at noon.