The annual Cazenovia community observance of Memorial Day will be held Monday, May 28, with ceremonies will be held, speeches given, wreaths laid, rifle salutes and taps played to honor those who have given their lives in the service to the country.
The Cazenovia American Legion Post 88 color guard will step off the parade to Memorial Park from the corner of Emory Avenue and Forman Street in front of the High School at 10:30 a.m., rain or shine. Parade groups should start lining up at 10 a.m.
Those organizations wishing to march in the parade should contact the parade coordinators Kevin Markowski (315662-7510), John Haynes (315-815-4168) or Ron McDermott (315-807-7185) for information.
Due to the solemn nature of Memorial Day, the legion asks that there be no commercial or political activity in this parade and no candy thrown.
All veterans are welcome and encouraged to march. Vehicles will be available for those veterans who feel the long walk would be too strenuous. Veterans needing transportation to the parade and/or needing a ride in the parade should call Gene Gissin (315-655-2224) or John Colligan (315-655-2233) to make arrangements.
The parade will rest at Memorial Park at 11 a.m. where Post 88 Commander Richard Benner will be the Master of Ceremonies. Joining him for a moment of reflection on the 100th anniversary of World War 1 will be Post 88 member and military historian Frank Stritter who will read the poem “In Flanders Field” written by Lt. Col. John McCrae (1872-1918) of the Canadian Army.
The day’s guest speaker will be Lt. General of the United States Air Force (Retired) Michael J. Basla. Basla is a native of Syracuse and graduated from Bishop Grimes High School. He received his commission in 1979 as a distinguished graduate of the Office Training School after having graduated from SUNY Albany with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics.
Basla concluded his U.S. Air Force career as the Chief of Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon, Washington D.C. in November 2014. He is currently a senior vice president and client executive for CACI International located in Arlington Va. He also recently co-founded Madison County Distillery, a family business, on Rt. 20 East in Cazenovia.
Basla resides in the Village of Cazenovia with his wife Rebecca and is a member of the Cazenovia American Legion Post 88.
After the memorial ceremony, the parade will be ordered to resume march to its starting point. All parade participants are invited to the Cazenovia Fire House for a light lunch after the parade.
Other events for this Memorial Day will be:
•At 12:30 p.m. a memorial service will also be held by Post 88 members in their Garden of Honor located in front of the Post 88’s home at 26 Chenango St. to honor veterans buried in all of our community cemeteries. The public is invited to attend. The Garden of Honor is paved with named bricks to honor those living and dead who have served with our military.
•Graveside flags and regular flags are available at The Chamber of Commerce, 51 Albany St. (655-9243), Gissin Photography, 25 Williams St. (655-2224) and the American Legion 26 Chenango St. Graveside flags for deceased veterans will be available at no cost to the veteran’s family. To obtain your flag for South Cemetery, go to the Cazenovia Town Office and for Evergreen Cemetery go to the Cazenovia Village Office. The American Legion will handle graveside flags for St. James Cemetery.
•Post 88’s Legion and Auxiliary members along the parade route will offer the traditional poppy on Monday May 28 and on Saturday May 26 before Memorial Day. Merchant locations for Saturday are Tops Market, Buyea’s and Kinney Drugs.
•For those veterans who wish to participate in the 8 a.m. Delphi Falls Memorial Day parade please meet at 6:30 a.m. at Dave’s Diner for breakfast and coordination.
