Memorial Day Parade, Festivities Planned [Video]

Here is the schedule for the 2012 Memorial Day Parade to be held in Madison on 28 May 2012.

09:15 – 09:45: All marchers to assemble in the Scranton Memorial Parking lot and the Stop & Shop parking lots.

10:00: Parade begins – marchers will proceed up Samson Rock Rd onto the Boston Post Road at the head of Main St.

10:20: Assemble on the Town Green, in front of Memorial Town Hall at the  memorials for ceremonies.  The ceremonies taking place here will be: Invocation, Wreath Laying, Flag Raising with the DHHS Band playing the National Anthem simultaneously, the various Speakers and the R.H. Brown Middle School Band playing God Bless America.

First Selectman Fillmore McPherson will be speaking at the post-parade ceremony, also State Representative Noreen Kokoruda will be speaking and announcing the winner of the 1st annual Memorial Day Essay Contest.  The winner, a 6th grade student from Madison, will then read his or her essay.

This ceremony will end with a volley fired by the Firing Squad and the playing of “TAPS by  members of the DHHS Band. We will have a rendition of the words for TAPS by Deborah Heinrich to end the program here.

11:05: Re-assemble marchers and march down the Post Rd. to West Cemetery.

11:25: Ceremonies at West Cemetery – Invocation by Reverend Voelker Heidi, Flag Raising, DHHS Band playing the America The Beautiful, Wreath laying, (by members of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and winners of the wreath making contests,) Combined Firing Squad and “TAPS”

11:45: The parade will be dismissed to the American Legion Hall on Bradley Road. Refreshments will be distributed to the marchers here at the Legion Hall.

12:00: American Legionnaires, VFW Members and Veterans will board a bus for a ride to West Wharf.

12:15: Ceremonies at West Wharf – Invocation by Pastor Greg Scalzo, Wreath Laying, (upon the waters in honor of our Naval dead,)  a reading of the Navy Hymn,  a volley by the Combined Firing Squad and “TAPS” to end the program

12:30: American Legionnaires, VFW & Veterans to re-board bus for trip to VFW Hall on Lovers Lane for Flag Raising. Dismissal at 12:45

With the exception of the start time of precisely 10:00 a.m., all times are approximate

Still, in the event of rain, at 9:30 a.m., the parade will be canceled and the ceremonies adjourned to the American Legion Hall on Bradley Road to be performed at 10:30.  At the conclusion of the indoor ceremonies, members of the American Legion, the VFW and Veterans will go to the Green, West Cemetery and West Wharf to lay wreaths and raise the flags.  All interested persons are invited to attend any or all of these ceremonies.

Anyone wishing to participate in the Memorial Day Parade,  please call Memorial Day Parade Marshal Ed Guenther at (203) 245-9423.