Memorial Day festivities planned for Monday
A number of communities will be holding Memorial Day observances Monday. Here is a list of some of the planned events:
ANGOLA
A parade will lineup at the Angola Fire Department, 41 Commercial St. at 9:30 a.m. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and will march to the Forest Avenue Cemetery, where services will be held.
BROCTON-PORTLAND
A ceremony honoring veterans is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.
Boys State representatives and Girls State representatives will give short readings. The Brocton Central School band will perform.
A benediction will be given by Fran Lus with AMVETS Commander George Travis leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
Guest speaker will be Dave Adams, Chautauqua County Veterans Service Officer for the Dunkirk Office.
Sons of the American Legion Squadron 434 Commander Herb McIntyre will be reading the final inspection.
The ceremony will be closed with the singing of “God Bless America.”
Following the ceremony, a light luncheon will be available at the J.W. Dill Post 434 on Main Street in Brocton. All are welcome.
CASSADAGA
Cassadaga American Legion Post 1280 has a full day planned for their Memorial Day activities, starting bright and early at 6 a.m. (this kicks off part one of the day) with a free breakfast at the Post for all participants, and to get ready for the ceremony.
At 6:45 a.m., the bus departs for ceremonies at various locations throughout the Valley: Charlotte Center Ceremony is the first stop, 7:05 a.m.; Burnham Hollow Corner Cemetery, 7:15 a.m.; Christian Cemetery, Bard/Shumla Road, 7:30 a.m.; Stockton Old Cemetery, 7:45 a.m.; Stockton Greenwood Cemetery, 8 a.m.; Centralia Union Cemetery, 8:15 a.m.; Red Bird Cemetery, 8:30 a.m.; Sinclairville Parade, 9 a.m.; Picketts Corner Cemetery, 9:30 a.m.; Lily Dale Memorial Service (Gun Salute/ Return to Post upon completion), 10 a.m.
Part two begins at 10:30 a.m. when people gather for the parade to march/ride from the Legion to Ames Common. The parade will go from there to the Veterans Circle, Cassadaga Cemetery, where the speakers will be at 11:55 a.m. Raising the flag and a 21 gun salute will take place in front of the Legion at 12:30 p.m. Refreshments for all guests will take place in the Legion at 12:40 p.m.
CHERRY CREEK
The South Dayton American Legion and the Pine Valley VFW will host the Memorial Day parade starting at 10:30 a.m. The parade will start downtown at the fire hall and continue to the veterans monument in town.
COLLINS CENTER
A parade will start at 9 a.m. sharp from Collins Center Fire Hall. The parade will travel to the Collins Center Cemetery on Route 39.
DUNKIRK
A Memorial Day service will be conducted by the Dunkirk Joint Veterans Council at Memorial Park at 10 a.m. The service will honor World War II veterans David Baldwin of Fredonia, Joseph S. Gatto of Brocton and Steve Mastrelli of Dunkirk.
The parade will follow from the park at 11 a.m. marching east on Lake Shore Drive to Central Avenue where it will move south along Central Avenue to the reviewing stand in front of City hall. The parade route will end at Washington Park.
Mayor Wilfred Rosas said, “As we come together to celebrate Memorial Day 2017, let us not forget that this day is more than a parade or an outdoor barbecue. This day is a day of remembrance of those we have lost and a day to honor their sacrifice. Please be safe and enjoy this special day for our city and our country. May God bless America!”
FORESTVILLE
The Forestville Memorial parade begins at 9 a.m., concludes with services at the American Legion Post, 6 Cedar St. Honors all veterans and members of the military, along with a traditional 21 gun salute. Food and refreshments following the service.
FREDONIA
Memorial Day services will be observed in Fredonia on Monday beginning at 10 a.m. at the American Legion Memorial Post 59, 156 E. Main St.
Services conducted by the Legion after the 10 a.m. ceremony will also be held at the WCA Home, 134 Temple St., at 10:30 a.m.; the veterans’ monument in Barker Common in downtown Fredonia at 11 a.m.; and Fredonia Place, 50 Howard St., at 11:30 a.m.
Breakfast will be served for Memorial Day participants by Boy Scout Troop 257 at the Legion Post at 9 a.m. The post will be open from noon to 6 p.m. after all the services and will be serving burgers and hot dogs. Veterans are especially welcome.
GOWANDA
The American Legion Post 409, 100 Legion Drive, Gowanda will host a breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. The breakfast is free to veterans and $5 for non-veterans.
A parade lineup will start at 10 a.m., with the parade leaving the Legion at 10:30 a.m. The parade will travel to West Main Street ending at St. John’s Park on Aldrich Street. A service will be held at the park at 11 a.m.
The post will also host a memorial motorcycle run, which will leave following a bike blessing at the American Legion at 8:45 a.m. The run will travel to Sprague Brooke Park in Springville, where a service will be held.
LEON
The South Dayton American Legion and the Pine Valley VFW will host the Memorial Day parade starting at 9 a.m. The parade will travel from the fire hall to Memorial Park with a ceremony in the park. A civil war dedication and reading of the honor roll in the four corners will take place as well.
MAYVILLE
The Mayville American Legion Post 493 and VFW Post 8647 will hold a parade and ceremony for Memorial Day Monday. The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the old Mayville School building and march to the Mayville Cemetery. The Legion and VFW will conduct the ceremony and the Chautauqua Lake Central High School Band will perform. Following the ceremony, a light luncheon and get-together will be held at the Legion, 144 S. Erie St.
RIPLEY
There will be a Memorial Day service held at the East Ripley Cemetery at 10 a.m. At noon, the Ripley Auxiliary is sponsoring a veterans lunch at the Ripley Fire Hall, 11 S. State St. Parade lineup will begin at 1 p.m. at Ross Street, with the parade beginning at 1:30 p.m. and ending at Quincy Cemetery on Shaver Street.
SHERIDAN
The town of Sheridan is holding its annual Memorial Day service and parade on Monday. Parade lineup will take place at about 11:45 a.m. in the parking lot of the Sheridan municipal complex, formerly the St. John Bosco church complex, on Route 20. The parade will start around noon and proceed on Route 20 to the Sheridan Center Cemetery on Center Road, where a memorial service will be held to honor deceased veterans.
Afterward, the Sheridan Fire Department will hold its annual Chiavetta’s chicken barbecue and raffle fundraiser at the fire hall at 2800 Route 20.
SILVER CREEK
A Memorial Day Service will be held by the Silver Creek VFW Post 6472 and American Legion Post 148 in the park in front of the veterans monument at 11 a.m. All are invited to attend and remember all those who served and died in service to our country. In case of inclement weather, the service will be held at the VFW post. Refreshments will be served at the VFW post after the service.
SINCLAIRVILLE
Anyone interested in marching at this year’s parade needs to line up at Jamestown and Maple streets by 8:30 a.m. The parade will begin at 9 a.m. as it has for several decades, when the village started this tradition in 1924. Services will be held after the parade in the Evergreen Cemetery near the Soldiers Monument. Charlotte resident and veteran Sgt. Michael Russo is the keynote speaker this year.
SOUTH DAYTON
The South Dayton American Legion and the Pine Valley VFW will host the Memorial Day parade starting at noon. The parade will line up at the old legion on Pine Street and travel to the village park, where a memorial ceremony will be held.
WESTFIELD
Lowering of the flag ceremony will be held in Moore Park at 7:30 a.m., Dan Reid Pier Navel & Maritime Observance will began afterward at 8 a.m.
Afterward, people will gather at St. James Cemetery at 8:30 a.m. and Union Cemetery at 9:15 a.m. Everyone will assemble back at Moore Park to start the parade at 10 a.m. The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at the Academy Street Cemetery for the ceremony. At noon the raising of the flag will be back at Moore Park.
Next there will be open houses at the American Legion JW Rogers Post 327, located at 4 Clark St., and VFW Post 6764 at the corner of Pearl and Washington streets.
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