NEWBURGH – Sunny skies made for the perfect weather for the annual Memorial Day Parade in the City of Newburgh, which featured floats from community organizations, and speeches from local government figures remembering our military veterans.
Attendees and participants alike understood that Memorial Day means more than just barbecues and fireworks.
Marlborough resident Tom Peretto comes to the parade every year to pay respects to military veterans.
“I think we should all take the time to honor the sacrifices of our soldiers that gave everything to us,” Peretto said.
Newburgh residents, friends Anthony Diaz and Cheyenne Johnson attended together.
Diaz spoke to how Memorial Day honors our military veterans and how the community in Newburgh unites each year for the parade.
“It’s a reminder of the freedom that our men in uniform fought to give us so we could walk around freely in this country,” Diaz said. “The community gets involved, and all the local community groups come together to let people know they’re there.”
For Johnson, Memorial Day represents family.
“It’s about family coming together and just being unified on a nice day,” Johnson said.
The parade’s grand marshal was 93-year-old World War II veteran Charles Arthur Leo, a Newburgh native who served in the United States Maritime Service for four years and had a special connection to the parade.
“I’ve been in Newburgh all my life, and it was just wonderful to see all these people,” Leo said. “I marched 80 years ago as a Boy Scout, and it’s time gone by.”
Speeches were given by Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson and State Senator James Skoufis.
“Too many do not know what Memorial Day is about,” said Jacobson. “It’s not just an excuse to have a barbecue, but it’s a tribute to those fighting and defending our country.”
Skoufis spoke to the true meaning of Memorial Day by addressing how the meaning often gets misconstrued before citing statistics of the number of Americans who served in each of the wars the U.S. has been involved in.
“Inevitably, I hear the misconceptions about what Memorial Day genuinely means,” Skoufis said. “Memorial Day is the day to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.”
In addition to all the floats and speeches, attendees were treated to a performance of the National Anthem by Councilwoman Patty Sofokles and Mayor Torrance Harvey.
Community organizations that participated in the parade included the Catholic War Veterans, the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, We are Newburgh and the local police and fire departments.
