East Hampton Memorial Day Parade is Monday

What are you doing Monday morning? If you are not participating, hopefully you will be along the Memorial Day parade route waving your American flag showing your support for all veterans, living and dead who sacrifice so much to keep our country free. Start wishing now for good weather (it’s about time) because rain cancels the parade.

The East Hampton Memorial Day Parade and Remembrance Ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. at East Hampton High School.

Larry Emmons will serve as Grand Marshall and Tina Lanzi, Retired Chief and a Desert Shield veteran, will serve as Parade Marshall. This marks the first time a female veteran has served in this position.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. there will be a fly-over.

Look for floats from the VFW Post 5095, Wreaths Across America, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, a Peterbilt truck with the American flag, and the East Hampton Fire Department.

VFW Post 5095 Vietnam veteran Lou Carillo will lead the Horse of the Fallen Soldier. The Horse of the Fallen Soldier honors departed veterans and the sacrifices of their families, friends and communities.

Pay special attention to the cars containing veteran passengers. Let them know you appreciate their service.

Also give a special wave to Zoe Martin, this year’s VFW Post 5095 Poppy Queen.

Remembrance Ceremonies take place along the route of the parade, starting with the first in front of the Fowler-Dix-Park VFW Post 5095, which consists of a gun salute by the VFW Post 5095 Color Guard, followed by Taps by Matt Chiu and Echo by Shannon Law. At the Lakeview Cemetery, Fowler-Dix-Park Ladies Auxiliary 5095 chaplain Gina Gendron will say a prayer in honor of deceased veterans, there will be another three-volley gun salute by the VFW Color Guard, Shannon Law will deliver Taps, with the Echo performed by Trenton Thomas.

Chuck Walton, President of the East Hampton Veterans Association, will lead the final Remembrance Ceremony, held at the conclusion of the parade, on the lawn of the East Hampton Congregational Church. The East Hampton High School band, under the direction of Andrew Groves, music director, will play the National Anthem. Louise Nocera and Llaser will be the drum majors.

The guest speaker is Arron M. McLaughlin, Sergeant/E-5, Fire Direction Chief of the Headquarters Company 1-102 INF Army National Guard, and a Purple Heart recipient recently returned from Afghanistan.

Other participants in the final ceremony are the East Hampton Middle School band, Blake Szoda reciting the Gettysburg Address, Molly Maturo reading the poem, “In Flanders Field,” and Colin Parker will ruffle drums during the reading of the past year’s names of deceased veterans. Ron Christopher, Post 5095, will deliver the prayer for deceased veterans and Gina Gendron, Auxiliary Chaplain, will deliver the benediction.

Taps, delivered by Matt Chiu, and Echo, performed by Trenton Thomas, will conclude the ceremony.

At the conclusion, there will be a Yellow Ribbon Welcome Home ceremony.