The annual Cazenovia Memorial Day parade and observance will take place on Monday, May 30, at Memorial Park on Albany St., where solemn 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 Legion’s 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 (662-7510) or John Haynes (815-4168) 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 (655-2224) or John Colligan (655-2233) to make arrangements.
The parade will rest at Memorial Park at 11 a.m. where Post 88’s Commander, Richard Benner, will be the Master of Ceremonies. Joining him for a Chaplain’s moment of prayer and reflection will be Post 88’s Chaplain Al Keilen.
The guest speaker will be Colonel Emil J. Filkorn, Commander, 224 Air Defense Group, New York Air National Guard. In this role, he serves as the Vice Commander of the Eastern Air Defense Sector. The 224th ADG is deployed in place in Rome, N .Y. Filkorn has been selected as the next commander of the Eastern Air Defense Sector and will assume that role on June 3.
Filkorn was born in Buffalo and received a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was commissioned May 1990 and entered the Air Force in April 1991. He has been deployed to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern Watch), and counterdrug operations in Colombia, Panama and the Bahamas. He is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations and was promoted to Colonel in April 2014.
Filkorn resides with his family in Cazenovia 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.
Also on Memorial Day a memorial service will also be held at noon by Post 88 members in the 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. In the past, the Legion has rotated this service among our local cemeteries. They have inserted their Garden of Honor into this rotation for 2016. The public is invited to attend.
The Garden of Honor is paved with named bricks to honor those living and dead who have served our military and country. Some of those honored go as far back as the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Civil War.
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 a flag for South Cemetery, go to the Cazenovia town office and for Evergreen Cemetery go to the Cazenovia village office. Graveside flags for St. James Cemetery will be handled by the American Legion.
The traditional poppy will be offered by Post 88’s Legion and Auxiliary members along the parade route on Monday, May 30, and on Saturday, May 28, 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. New Woodstock Memorial Day parade, meet at 6:45 a.m. at Dave’s Diner for breakfast and coordination.
