Mt. Pleasant to Honor Active Military With Armed Forces Day Parade
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Most communities are making their annual preparations for the Memorial Day parade that will be held later this month.
In Mount Pleasant, a dedicated veteran with the help of the town, is busily planning for a parade the weekend before.
On Saturday, May 20, Mount Pleasant will be celebrating Armed Forces Day, with a relatively short parade from the town’s recreation center on Lozza Drive in Valhalla to Town Hall. Armed Forces Day is observed the third Saturday of May every year.
Parade Chairman Peter Fiumefreddo said unlike Memorial Day, which honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation, the far lesser-known Armed Forces recognizes active servicemen and servicewoman.
The town will be paying tribute to them but also to the police and local firefighters and ambulance corps members, who raced to help their neighbors and fellow citizens in an emergency, Fiumefreddo said.
“If any other country starts with us, (the servicemen) are the first ones in,” he said. “When somebody needs help at home, the first responders.”
The parade, which steps off at 1 p.m. and proceeds onto Columbus Avenue, is just the start of a full afternoon of activities. When it concludes its route at Town Hall, there will be a ceremony, entertainment, food, rides for the kids and community organizations on hand.
In addition, the parade will feature the 42nd Army Infantry Division Marching Band and the Westchester County Police Fife and Drum Band.
Paul Oliva, the town’s police chief, and Yonkers Police Commissioner Chris Sapienza, a Marine and Gulf War veteran will serve as grand marshals. County Executive George Latimer is scheduled to be an honorary grand marshal.
Fiumefreddo said he hopes to highlight the close connection between the members of the military and how town is always quick to recognize those who have served the country. In 2019, the Mount Pleasant Town Board approved a resolution that designated the municipality as a Medal of Honor town, at that time believed to be the only community on the East Coast to have that distinction.
The grounds outside Town Hall contain a Medal of Honor monument while inside there is a display honoring New York State’s Medal of Honor recipients.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
