May 22, 2008 05:58 pm
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Brookfield
The annual Memorial Day parade begins at 10 a.m. Monday on Grove Street near Brookfield Middle School and will head south on state Route 7 to Brookfield Township Cemetery.
After the parade, a veterans memorial service will be held around the flag pole at the cemetery. Anyone wishing to participate in the parade is welcome. It will form at 9 a.m. behind the middle school.
Farrell-Wheatland
The final meeting of the Farrell-Wheatland War Memorial Monument organization was Tuesday. The Rev. Terry L. Weyman, pastor of Sharpsville Church of the Nazarene, spoke. A pastor for 25 years, he retired from the Air Force with 20 years of active duty.
The Memorial Day parade will assemble at 9 a.m. Monday at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5286, Idaho Street at Indiana Avenue, Farrell. The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. and goes south to Roemer Boulevard and east on Roemer to the monument.
Jim Scanga Jr. will direct the band. The Rev. Donald E. Berdis, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Church, Farrell, will give the benediction. Farrell Mayor Olive Brown McKeithan will speak. Willie Dinkins will present the wreath at the memorial; William Susinski, a red flower; Russ Henry, a white flower; Bob Davis, a blue flower; and a Vietnam veteran, a black flower. A salute to the dead “All Posts,” is planned.
Rev. Harris, assistant at Greater Mount Zion Church of God in Christ, Farrell, will give the benediction. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7597, Farrell, is host.
Greenville
Members of Greenville Veterans Council, American Legion Post 140, Greenville, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3374, Hempfield Township, are hosting the Memorial Day parade at 9 a.m. Monday in downtown Greenville.
All marching units must meet at 8:30 a.m. on Water Street. The parade will go east on Main Street with a stop at the American Legion for a ceremony with featured speaker Benjamin “B.J.” Mozes.
Mozes is a Commodore Perry High School graduate who served with the Army and was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and in Iraq. He’s a sixth-grade teacher at Commodore Perry and serves as Mercer County Agland Preservation administrator.
The parade will continue to the College Avenue bridge, where the VFW auxiliary will conduct a wreath remembrance ceremony. The parade ends with a ceremony at the top of Shenango Valley Cemetery. Participants will return to the American Legion to raise the flag. Information: Dick Peters, 724-588-8692, or Jim Carlson, 724-588-9622.
Grove City
Memorial Day activities for the Grove City Veterans Council and the volunteers from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion begin on Saturday when members place more than 1,750 flags on graves in 23 cemeteries throughout the Grove City area. This includes about 1,000 flags at Crestview and 390 at Woodbridge Cemetery.
The Memorial Day service begins at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Veterans Memorial Garden at Crestview Cemetery.
Speaker will be Command Sgt. Maj. David Gatewood.
Other participants will include Harrisville Community Band and Moniteau Ceremonial Rifle Squad. The commanders and vice commanders from the VFW and American Legion will place flags on 100 graves in the Veterans Memorial Garden and place wreaths dedicated to all veterans who have passed away. This will be followed by the national anthem, a rifle salute and the playing of “Taps.”
After this service, wreaths will be placed at the monument and Grove City Honor Roll in Grove City Memorial Park by the post commander and ladies auxiliary president of John R. Huff American Legion Post 220 and Claire Van Eman VFW Post 519.
After the Memorial Day service at Crestview, participants and attendants are invited for refreshments at John R. Huff American Legion Post 220 on South Broad Street, Grove City.
Hermitage
The Memorial Day parade will move at 10 a.m. Monday from Hermitage Middle School to Hillcrest Memorial Park.
State Route 18 southbound will be closed from Highland Road to East State Street for the parade. East State will be closed between North Kerrwood Drive and Route 18 during the parade, which will form at the middle school at 9:30 a.m.
Parade marshal is Nick Solyan; emcee, Ron Orndorff; and main speaker is attorney William McConnell III.
Participants will include Hickory VFW Post 6166 honor guard, past District Commander John Krofcheck, Hickory Ladies Auxiliary, National Guard unit, Farrell Army Reserve unit, Sensations Baton Group, Hickory High School Marching Band, city officials and Boy Scouts.
Jamestown
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5424, Jamestown, is hosting the Memorial Day parade at 10 a.m. Monday.
The parade will start at the municipal building on Jackson Street, led by the Jamestown Honor Guard and featuring local veterans and the James-town High School marching band. The parade will go east on Depot Street, west on Liberty Street and stop at the Shenango River bridge for a ceremony honoring Navy veterans.
The parade will continue to Park Lawn Cemetery where the band will play and a memorial service will be conducted by VFW members. Retired Army Lt. Col. Jim Brown, the VFW commander who also served in Vietnam and with the Army Reserves, will be the featured speaker.
Mercer Memorial Day 500
Mercer Memorial Day 500 events Monday include:
• 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Military concert by the 28th Division “Keystone” Pennsylvania Army National Guard Band under the direction of CW2 Jeffrey A. Jaworowski, at the Mercer County Courthouse bandstand.
• 9:30 a.m. – Veterans reception, north side of the courthouse. Veterans are invited to socialize, eat, sign up for prizes and hear the bandstand music.
• 11 a.m. – Memorial Day parade, north to South Pitt Street, east side of the courthouse. This year’s parade recognizes the Navy, highlighting the USS Intrepid. There will be five bands and an all-Navy veterans color guard. Honorees will ride in convertibles. A flotilla of ships will be represented.
• Noon – Memorial Salute, Citizens Cemetery at the foot of Pitt Street. There will be music, recognition of the USS Intrepid veterans, honoree presentation, Prisoner of War recognition, a message by Ray Stone – director of the board of the USS Intrepid Association and author – and a salute to fallen comrades.
Food vendors will set up at North Diamond and Pitt streets.
Parking will be reserved for veterans on the south side of the courthouse and at Bethany Church’s parking lot one block north. Golf carts will be available for curbside pickup upon request. Volunteers will be on hand to offer any needed assistance.
Public parking is available on South Shenango Street, West Butler Street, North Street, at Brandy Springs Park, Mercer High School and Mercer Elementary School. For a parking map, visit www.mercermemorialday500.homestead.com
Additional information is available on the Web site. Or e-mail parade500@yahoo.com.
Pymatuning Township
Memorial Day services will begin at 8 a.m. Monday at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7599, Reynolds.
Participants should meet there at 7:45. The parade starts at 8:45 at the Little League fields and ends at Transfer Cemetery, Rutledge Road, where several guests will speak. In case of rain, the ceremony will be held at the Harvest Home pavilion.
Salem Township
Stevenson’s Cemetery will host a Memorial Day service at 1 p.m. Sunday with a performance by The Keelings and observance ceremonies beginning at 2 p.m.
Boy Scout Troop 55 will conduct the opening flag ceremony and Girl Scout troops 802, 263 and 434 will distribute flags. Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3374, Hempfield Township, will provide the veterans’ salute.
Retired Navy Lt. Commander Jeffery A. Briggs, a 1974 graduate of Lakeview High School, will be the featured speaker. Briggs retired in 1998 after 24 years of services and has also worked as a physics and math teacher at Commodore Perry High School, where he serves as assistant coach for the cross country team.
Sandy Lake-Stoneboro
Memorial Day will be observed at 10 a.m. Monday at Oak Hill Cemetery, Sandy Lake Township.
State Sen. Robert D. Robbins will be guest speaker. Music will be provided by Lakeview High School Marching Band and bagpipes by Mark Bodamer. Chris Gilliland will perform the national anthem.
Those attending should bring lawn chairs. In case of inclement weather, the event will take place in Sandy Lake Wesleyan Church, across Route 173 from the cemetery. The event is sponsored by the Lakeview Ministerium and Scott A. Black Funeral Home.
Sharon
Monday’s Memorial Day parade in Sharon will form on Case Avenue at 10:30 a.m. and move at 11.
The route is down East State Street to North Oakland Avenue where there will be a pause at the monument to lay wreaths by the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and then to Oakwood Cemetery for services. The main speaker will be Maj. Sheetz of the 475th Quartermaster Group, Pendel Caminiti Army Reserve Center, Farrell. Participating in the parade will be the Army Reserve and the National Guard from Hermitage.
The Honor Guard will be from the Air Force 910th Air Reserve. The flyover will be done by the 910th Air Reserve, Vienna, at about 11:15 a.m.
Sharpsville
Sharpsville’s annual Memorial Day parade will be held Monday. Festivities will include a wreath-laying ceremony, rifle salute and raising of the flag at Veterans’ Park.
Memorial in the park will begin at 9 a.m. “To The Colors” will be played by Victor Collella from the Sharpsville High School Band.
Participants are asked to form at the Sharpsville Plaza and the parade will proceed immediately after the ceremony in the park.
The parade will proceed on Walnut Street, east on Shenango Street, south on Mercer Avenue, and east on Line Street into Riverside Cemetery to the memorial stand, where memorial services will be held.
Music selections for the program will be the national anthem, “America the Beautiful,” and “America,” which will be provided by the Sharpsville High School Band under the direction of Andrew Erb. Invocation will be given by Rev. James A. McKeithan, from Second Baptist Church. Logan’s Orders will be read by Alex Kovach.
The Sharpsville preschool will sing “God Bless America” under the direction of Tracy Robertson.
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address will be recited by Gianna Collella. Introduction of the speaker will be by the master of ceremonies, Mayor Kenneth Robertson. The address will be given by state Rep. Mark Longietti.
Margaret Campbell, president of Sharpsville VFW Ladies Auxiliary, will conduct a wreath laying at the Cemetery Memorial. The poem “A Lonely Day in May” will be read by Thomas Lally. The ceremony at the mound will be conducted by members of Sharpsville American Legion Post 162, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6404 and the Military Moms.
A rifle salute will be given by the honor guard, consisting of members from the Sons of the American Legion Post 162, American Legion Post 162 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6404 under the direction of Randy Arnold, with taps by Victor Collella and echo by Jesse Smith of the Sharpsville High School Band.
The parade division leaders are Troy Titus, commander of Sharpsville American Legion Post 162, and Mike Garnack, senior vice commander of Sharpsville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6404.
Participants in the parade will be the Sharpsville Honor Guard, Sons of the Sharpsville American Legion Post 162, Sharpsville American Legion Post 162 and its Ladies Auxiliary, Sharpsville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6404 and its Ladies Auxiliary, Mercer County Voiture 40 & 8 Locomotive, Military Moms, Sharpsville officials, Sharpsville High School Band, Sharon Elks Lodge 103, Boy Scouts Troop and Pack 45, Sharpsville Preschool, Shenango Valley Ambulance Service, Sharpsville Volunteer/Fire and Rescue Department, South Pymatuning Fire Department and Clark Volunteer Fire Department.
A luncheon will be served after the ceremony at Sharpsville American Legion Post 162 Home, 617 Main St.
In case of inclement weather, services will be held in the Sharpsville High School auditorium.
Springfield Township
There will be a memorial service at 2 p.m. Sunday at the monument at Veterans of Foreign War Post 7465, 1470 Brent Road. After the service, there will be a dinner.
West Middlesex
The Memorial Day parade will begin at 10 a.m., with a ceremony in Haywood Cemetery immediately afterward.
Lineup will be at the post office for anyone who wishes to participate in the parade. Mercer County Korean War Veterans invite the public to share in the annual “Laying of Roses” in remembrance of our departed war veterans at 2 p.m. Sunday near Oak Tree Country Club, Route 318. “We Shall Not Forget.”
New Wilmington
Memorial Day services for the New Wilmington area will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Neshannock Presbyterian Church.
The program, sponsored by the local American Legion, will have as its guest speaker Theo McCracken of New Castle.
McCracken is a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He served with the 78th Division in Germany and was with the first American unit to enter and occupy Berlin. Upon discharge from the Army, he remained with the Army Reserve until Oct. 10, 1950, when he was called back to active duty in response to the North Korean invasion of South Korea. He was assigned as a combat infantryman to the 24th Infantry Division in Korea.
He returned to the United States in August 1951 with the rank of sergeant. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his service in Korea. He and his wife Laura have been married for 60 years. They have six children, 15 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The program will also include a tribute to the late legion commander Harry “Buss” Means. During his many years of leadership, the local post maintained a steady membership.
From World War II on, “Buss” and other members have been responsible for the placement of flags over the graves of area service men and women who are buried in local cemeteries. He was instrumental in having the approximate 11 acres and legion building in Wilmington Township, Lawrence County, transferred to the township without cost to serve as a recreational area and a memorial to veterans of all wars. The Wilmington Middle School Band, conducted by Gary Taylor, will again provide stirring music related to military service units and activities.
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