New Hyde Park, GCP Memorial Day events

Richard Tedesco

Memorial Day Parades and observances will be held in New Hyde Park and Garden City Park on Saturday, May 26 and Monday, May 28, respectively.

On Saturday, May 26 New Hyde Park G. & E. Linder VFW Post 8031 will step off its parade at 10 a.m. from Jericho Turnpike and HIllside Boulevard, pausing in front of New Hyde Park Village Hall for a brief ceremony and 21-gun salute to the fallen. The ROTC Francis Lewis High School Drum Corps will lead the line of march, which will include members of the VFW and American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the Sons of Italy Cellini Lodge, the Kiwanis, the  North New Hyde Park Lions and the Greater New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce.

Boy Scout Troops from Gloria Dei, Holy Spirit and Notre Dame Churches along with New Hyde Park Girls Scout Troop 141 will also be marching. The Manor Oaks/ Hillside Grade Band and a band sponsored by the New Hyde Park Fire Department will provide marching music. Members of the New Hyde Park Fire Department and trucks will also be in the parade.

The grand marshal is U.S. Navy veteran Bob O’Hara.

From Village Hall, the parade will proceed north on New Hyde Park Road to New Hyde Park Memorial Park, where the laying of a wreath at the veterans memorial will be followed by remarks from Village of New Hyde Park Mayor Daniel Petruccio.

“If the vets don’t do it, all these boys who died – mostly at a very young age – they’d be forgotten,” said William Hothan, quartermaster of the New Hyde Park VFW Post.

On Monday May 28, Garden City Park VFW Post 120 steps off with its parade on Denton Avenue one block north of Jericho Turnpike at 9 a.m. 

The line of march will proceed on Jericho Turnpike east to Nassau Boulevard, then north four blocks to 4th Street where it will turn and pause for ceremonies at the Garden City Park School, The parade will resume proceed south on Central Avenue to Jericho and end with another ceremony at the VFW Post 120.

NHP Memorial High School band, and the Garden City Park school band will be in the line of march along with the members of the Garden City Park Fire Department. 

Observances at Albertson VFW Post 5253 start Monday at 9:30 a.m. with ceremonies at the post at 155 Searingtown Road in Albertson. 

Post commander John Incremona will preside with post chaplain Vinnie DeMartino offering an invocation and other invited speakers participating.

The parade, including Boy Scout Troop 201, a local Girl Scout troop and members of the Albertson Fire Department, will proceed north on Searingtown Road, then immediately turn east to Willis Avenue and then north to the gazebo on IU Willets Road. An honor guard from the post will fire a volley to honor the fallen at the gazebo. The line of march will then proceed to the Albertson Fire Department headquarters.

“We’ve got to honor the men and women who passed away to preserve our freedom,” said Harry Worth, quartermaster and past commander of the Albertson Post.

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