Mineola, Willistons to host Memorial Day parades

James Galloway

Mineola, Williston Park, East Williston and Albertson will all pay tribute to the nation’s fallen soldiers Monday with parades and remembrances.

At 9 a.m. Monday, the Mineola Fire Department will read the names of all the former firefighters who have died, Village of Mineola Trustee George Durham said. About 200 names will likely be read, according to Durham.

An 11 a.m. parade will then kick off at Wilson Park, Durham said.

The parade will proceed north on Roslyn Road to Jericho Turnpike, east along Jericho to Marcellus Road, and south on Marcellus to Memorial Park, said Joe Scalero, Village of Mineola Clerk.

About 40 to 50 groups usually march in the parade, Durham said.

The parade takes about an hour, Durham said, and will end with a 20-25 minute memorial ceremony run by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion. Durham said usually American Legion Post 349 Commander Carl Marchese and Village Mayor Scott Strauss typically speak at the ceremony, and the National Anthem is typically played as well.

In Williston Park, a Memorial Day parade will begin at 9 a.m. at American Legion Post 144, at 730 Willis Ave., with a short memorial service for veterans who have died in the past year, Village of Williston Park Mayor Paul Ehrbar said. The parade will begin most likely around 9:30 a.m. and proceed through side streets in the village, Ehrbar said, and end about an hour to an hour and a half later at Village Hall, located at 494 Willis Ave.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Albertson will begin its ceremony at 9 a.m. at the post at 155 Searingtown Road.

Prior to the parade, the Post will pay tribute to the members who died in the past year, recount the significance of the holiday and open the floor to comments by local officials.

The parade route will weave past the Albertson Memorial for a second tribute and then toward the Albertson Fire Company, where Post 5253 will honor the firefighters.

“They’ve given up a lot of people for our safety and our welfare, so we honor them as well,” Post Commander Gaetano Rumore said.

East Williston will begin its Memorial Day festivities at 8:30 a.m. with its annual 5K run, in which more than 100 residents typically participate, race organizer Caroline DeBenedittis said.

“It’s one of our biggest events,” DeBenedittis said. “I would say it definitely adds to the community spirit.”

Following the race, the village will hold a small parade beginning near North Side elementary school at 11:30 a.m. and concluding around noon, Deputy Mayor Bonnie Parente said. From there, the village will hold a brief ceremony at the Village Green.

“It brings people together. We do remember the armed forces that day and those we have lost at the ceremony,” DeBenedittis said. “We lay the wreaths at the memorial in front of the Village Green. Then we have the salute there.”

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