OBSERVER Staff Report

A number of communities will be holding Memorial Day services throughout the region. Here is a list of some of the planned events.

BROCTON-PORTLAND

A ceremony honoring veterans is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland. World War II marine veteran John Abram will raise the flag, assisted by Grace Graham, a Junior Auxiliary member.

Boys State representative Nash Delcamp and Girls State representative Kelsey Gerholdt will participate by giving short readings. The Brocton Central School band will perform. Brocton Mayor David Hazelton will be the main speaker.

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

The Cassadaga American Legion Post 1280 has a full day planned for Memorial Day. At 6 a.m., legion members who will be conducting services at local cemeteries will meet for breakfast at the Legion on Maple Avenue in the village.

The group will visit 13 area cemeteries and march in the parade in Sinclairville.

At 11 a.m., they will conduct a service in Ames Common which is near Route 60 in the village. Following the service, there will be a community parade down Maple Avenue to the Cassadaga Cemetery. A number of groups and individuals will be participating in the parade including: the village trustees and mayor, the Town of Stockton Supervisor David Wilson, Cub Scout Pack 219, Girl Scout Troop 334, fire departments from Cassadaga, Stockton, Sinclairville and Lily Dale, Cassadaga Lakes Association, the Youth Board, Mothers’ Club, Red Hat Society, Cassadaga-Stockton Babe Ruth; the Cassadaga Valley Central School band, Fredonia Place, Lawn Tractors (Mike Ferry), Cassadaga Football Boosters, and Sinclairville Monument group.

Once at the Cassadaga Cemetery, Chautauqua County Veterans’ Advocate Doug Diers, will speak. Following the program, complimentary hotdogs and soda will be served at the legion.

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 four corners and continue to the cemetery on Route 62. There will be a memorial ceremony in the cemetery.

DUNKIRK

The Memorial Day Service and Parade will assemble Monday.

Services will begin at 10 a.m. in Memorial Park on Lake Shore Drive West and will be conducted by the participating organizations of the Dunkirk Joint Veterans Council.

The Memorial Day Parade will start at approximately 11 a.m. and proceed East on Lake Shore Drive West to Central Avenue. The Parade will turn onto Central Avenue and proceed South to Fifth Street. The parade turns east on Fifth Street and disbands at Washington Park.

In case of inclement weather, the parade will be postponed for up to one hour.

Should the rain continue, Memorial Day services will be held at the American Legion Post 62, 211 Central Ave.

For the full list of guest speakers and parade line-up, see page A8.

FORESTVILLE

On Monday, a parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. in downtown Forestville. American Legion Post 953 along with the boy scouts, girl scouts, the Forestville High School Band and the Forestville Fire Department will participate.

After the parade, a Memorial Day service will be held at the Forestville American Legion, 6 Cedar St. Doug Allen, the singer of the U.S. and Canadian national anthems at Buffalo Sabres games will perform patriotic songs. The speaker will be Forestville Village Trustee Kevin Johnson.

The service will honor members of the military and contain a 21-gun salute.

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 will also be held at the WCA Home, 134 Temple St. at 10:30 a.m. and then at the veterans’ monument in Barker Common.

Breakfast will be served for Memorial Day participants by Boy Scout Troop 257 at the Legion Post at 9 a.m.

GOWANDA

The American Legion Post 409 will host a breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. The breakfast is free to veterans of the post and $4 for non-members. The breakfast will be held at the American Legion, 100 Legion Drive, Gowanda.

The post will also host a memorial motorcycle run to leave from the legion at 9 a.m. A parade will start line-up at 10:30 a.m. and leave the legion. The parade will continue on Legion Drive to West Main Street before ending at St. Joseph’s Park on Aldrich Street.

LEON

The South Dayton American Legion and the Pine Valley VFW will hold their parade starting at 9 a.m. The parade will travel from the fire hall to Memorial Park with a ceremony in Memorial Park.

A civil war dedication and reading of the honor roll in the four corners will take place as well.

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 dinner at the Ripley Fire Hall, 11 South State St., Ripley.

Parade line-up will begin at 1 p.m. with the parade beginning at 1:30 p.m.

There will be another Memorial Day service in Quincy Cemetery on Shaver Street at 2 p.m. with guest speaker Assemblyman Andrew Goodell.

SHERIDAN

The town of Sheridan is holding its annual Memorial Day Services and Parade on Monday. Parade line-up is 11:30 a.m. at the Town Hall (formerly St. John Bosco Church) on Route 20. The parade will start promptly at noon and proceed on Route 20 to the cemetery on Center Road where a memorial service will be held to honor our deceased veterans. All Sheridan residents are urged to come out in support of our deceased veterans.

In the event of inclement weather, services will be held in the Sheridan Methodist Church on Route 20, just east of Center Road.

The Sheridan Fire Department will hold its annual chicken barbecue and fundraiser at the Sheridan Fire Hall, 2800 Route 20, immediately following the services.

SILVER CREEK

The Silver Creek Samuel Cimino VFW Post 6472 will hold a parade Monday. Step off begins at 10:40 a.m. at Babcock Street. Veterans, boy scouts, the VFW auxiliary and American Legion Post 148 and Navy Ship 231 members will march to the veterans’ monument in the village square.

The Silver Creek School Band will provide cadence and perform in the park. The Memorial Day Service will be held from 11 a.m. to noon. Ed Fik will be the master of ceremonies and the speaker will be Mayor Nick Piccolo.

After the ceremony, hot dogs and refreshments will be served at the VFW post, 13 Main St.

SINCLAIRVILLE

The Sinclairville American Legion David Vern Luce Post #778 will continue a tradition that was started in 1924 when they held their first Memorial Day Observance in Evergreen Cemetery. This 90th annual observance will be held on Monday, and will begin with the traditional parade. This year it will start near the intersection of Jamestown Street and Main Street with step off at 9 a.m. The parade lineup will be by Doug Goodwill and all wishing to participate are welcome. The parade will proceed to the Evergreen Cemetery near the Soldiers Monument for the Memorial Day Service.

The legion is proud to have as its speaker this year Major David Grabow. Major Grabow is currently serving in the United States Marine Corps.

SOUTH DAYTON

The South Dayton American Legion and Pine Valley VFW will hold the Memorial Day parade on Monday starting at noon. The parade will line up at the legion and travel down to Main Street to the village park, where a memorial ceremony will be held.

WESTFIELD

The schedule for the Westfield’s Memorial Day celebration is as follows:

7:30 a.m. – The flag is lowered to half mast at Moore Park

8 a.m. – Memorial service at the pier.

8:45 a.m. – Memorial service at the Catholic cemetery.

9:15 a.m. – Memorial service at Union Cemetery.

10 a.m. – The parade will organize on South Portage Street at Moore Park.

10:30 a.m. – The parade begins.

11 a.m. – The ceremony begins at the Academy Street Cemetery. The flag is raised to full mast immediately following the end of the ceremony. A short service will be held.

12:15 p.m. – Open house at both the American Legion and the VFW.