AFTON

The Afton Memorial Day celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. Monday with the parade starting on Main Street adjacent to the Afton Inn and ending at Foster Park.

Participants include the Afton American Legion Post, the VFW and the Afton Central School District band. Veterans are welcome to march. Flags will be available across from the Afton Inn.

Speeches from public officials and Glen Swart, Post Commander for the American Legion, follow at Foster Park.

BAINBRIDGE

The annual parade begins at 10 a.m. at the Greenlawn Cemetary across from the B-G Elementary School, and ends in the Village Park.

There will be a traditional gun salute at the cemetery following the parade and a dedication ceremony to the fallen soldiers.

GREENE

The parade formation is at 9:30 a.m. Step-off promptly at 10 a.m. from the corner of Genesee and Canal Streets.

The parade will head east on Genesee Street in this order: Police vehicles, American Legion Color Guard, Fire Department marchers, dignitaries and their cars, Greene Central School Band, Boy and Girl Scouts with the 13 colony/state flags, Way to Bloom girls group, 4th, 5th, & 6th grade students with the remaining 37 flags, veterans in cars, veterans (or just those who wish to march), antique and special cars, ending with Fire Department vehicles.

Two areas for forming up, both at the corner of Genesee and Canal Streets:

South Canal Street — forming to the south from Genesee Street — Color Guard, dignitaries with cars, Greene Central School Band, Boy and Girl Scouts with the 50 State Flags, Way to Bloom Girls, Flag student group, veterans in cars, and any veterans who wish to march followed by antique /specialty cars.

North Canal Street — Police and Greene, Geneganslet, and Coventry Fire Departments.

These two areas will mesh at the corner for the parade order.

Before reaching the cemetery, the parade stops at Monell Street to lay a wreath at the WWI memorial and drop a wreath into the river for those lost at sea. Caleb Bonney and Zach Sorenson will commemorate these two occurrences. A member of the GCHS Band will play taps.

After this stop, the parade will continue up the hill to East Juliand Street and turn north. The antique and specialty cars may turn off at the bottom of the hill (before the railroad tracks) onto either Cherry or Water Streets and leave the parade if they so wish.

Upon reaching the cemetery, the order of the ceremony will be as follows: National Anthem — Greene Central School Band; The original 13 Colonies announced and the flags dipped – Boy and Girl Scouts; Invocation for POW and MIA. — Post Chaplain Ray Stanton; Opening Remarks — Post Commander Earl Howell; Memorial Address — Mayor Marcia Miller; Memorial Address —The Honorable Clifford Crouch; Memorial Homily — Rev. Douglas Harding Assembly of God; Dedication of graves — Vice Commander Lew Wooding; Patriotic Medley – Greene High School Mixed Select Ensemble; Gun Salute — Veterans Firing Squad -Greg Cobb; Taps — Dennis and Amanda Shank; ceremony end and return to Greene.

OXFORD

Memorial Day has become the most important day of recognition of our armed forces. On this Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 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 a.m. with the wreath laying ceremony and rifle salute at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery on West State Street.

It is important to note that the reconstruction of Oxford’s Main Street Bridge is still underway. Due to this, the parade has a slightly amended route. Parade participants will assemble at the lower parking lot of the Oxford Academy Middle School, located on the East side of the Chenango River, at 9 a.m.

Stepping off at 9:30 a.m., the parade will march up the East Side of Fort Hill Park to the Chenango River to hold the salute to honor those who died at sea. Oxford Legion’s Auxiliary president, Sylvia Witchella, will perform the wreath ceremony, tossing a memorial garland into the river, followed by a rifle salute. From there, the parade will head East on Main Street in the usual course.

The parade 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.

The parade will turn north, 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. Legion Commander Fred Baker, 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 Oxford American Legion Auxiliary will introduce their Girls’ State delegate, Michaela Marrone. The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Brett Hufnagle, and the Gettysburg Address will be read by Christopher Graves, two of the American Legion Boys’ State delegates. Also attending will be Paul Wonka, the third Boys’ State delegate. The principle address will be presented by guest speaker, Chenango County District Attorney, Joseph A. McBride. The Oxford Academy and Central High School Marching Band will provide patriotic music under the direction of Geoff Magnani, the interim High School band teacher, and Julie Solomon, the Middle School band director.

The Oxford Academy Marching Band will proceed 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 at 11 a.m. 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.

NEW BERLIN

Frank H. Arnold Post 348 of the American Legion is pleased to announce that John Sheldon 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 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 9:20 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.

All American Legion members are requested to participate in this Memorial Day Service. Those planning to march are asked to be at the Post by 9 a.m. Those who are unable to march are asked to show their support by congregating on the terraces in front of Milford Academy by 9:45 a.m. or as soon as the parade ends.

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

Commander Christopher Thompson has announced the Memorial Day events for Monday, May 28, to honor veterans of all wars, POWs, MIAs, plus the victims of the September 11,2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack, the present day conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, and all 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 west on 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, Joseph G. Angelino, Chief of Police for the City of Norwich, who was a member of the United States Marine Corps, from 1985 through 2008, and served three combat tours in the Middle East.

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.

SHERBURNE

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

The Sherburne American Legion Post 876 parade, prayer services and commemorative speeches will be conducted at locations in the village and in Smyrna and Earlville. Ed Meyer, a member of Sons of the Legion, will be the featured speaker. The Post House is located on 15 S. Main 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 parade begins at 9 a.m. in the Village of Smyrna. 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 river and a prayer service held to remember Navy veterans who served their country in time of war. Cub Scout and Sherburne Earlville Middle School sixth grader Thad Karaman will play taps.

Beginning at 11 a.m., the Sherburne Memorial Day Parade gets underway on 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. The parade ends with 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 Boys and Girls State programs at Morrisville College this year: Corey Boice of Sherburne, Emily Palmer of Sherburne and Michaela Marrone of Oxford. Boice will deliver the Gettysburg Address. 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

The South New Berlin Fire Department will host a barbecue at noon on Memorial Day at the fire house. The Memorial Day program and Parade is expected to start at 11 a.m.

SOUTH OTSELIC

The South Otselic American Legion, Post 973, and its Auxiliary Unit 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 Pastor Moore of the South Otselic First Baptist Church will be this year’s speaker. Mr. and Mrs. David Wentworth – Mr. Wentworth has been a member of the American Legion for more than 40 years – will have the honor of participating as this year’s Parade Marshals.

The theme of this year’s Memorial Day Parade and service is “The American Spirit.”

An Otselic Valley Central School Marching Band performance of the National Anthem will immediately follow the parade, followed by American Legion Chaplain Rupert Pearson’s invocation. A wreath will then be placed on the Veteran’s Monument, followed by performances of “Taps” and “Echo.”

Fifth and sixth grade winners of the 2012 Essay Contest will then read their winning entries.

Anyone wishing to participate in the parade should be at the OVCS parking lot, Maple Avenue, no later than 10:30 a.m. The chicken barbecue and buffet will be held at the American Legion, Valley View Road, at noon.

For more information call (315)-653-4460.