The annual Plainview Memorial Day Parade attracted over a hundred residents last Monday morning along the traditional parade route of Old Country Road, Washington Avenue and Manetto Hill Road to celebrate freedom and remember those who have died while serving in the armed forces.
The parade featured members of the Plainview Fire Department, who draped a large American Flag from cable wires held by two fire trucks over the intersection of Manetto Hill Road and Old Country Road.
The POB-JFK High School marching band performed for large crowds of Plainview residents holding American flags, who also cheered on parade participants such as VFW Post 5942, authentic military vehicles with a military honor guard, Boy Scout, Girl Scout and Cub Scout troops, members of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Board of Education, Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Center, East Plainview-Old Bethpage Republican Club, Knights of Columbus, St. Pius X Rosary Society, Temple Chaverim, Mid Island Y JCC Nursery School, POB Senior Citizen Club and Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library.
The parade then turned into Plainview-Old Bethpage Community Park for a memorial ceremony that featured Nassau County Legislator Judy Jacobs, Grand Marshal John McAlequey and Quartermaster of the Plainview VFW, Jim White.
Speaking on his service in the Korean War, White urged residents to never become “nonchalant” on Memorial Day, speaking on those who have died in battle: “We must honor them.”
The Rev. Eric Olsen of Good Shepherd Church in Plainview spoke as well, and “God Bless America” was sung by Plainview-Old Bethpage kindergarten students. Cantor Morris Wolk of the Plainview Jewish Center also delivered a rendition of “America The Beautiful.”
