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Todays tri-village Memorial Day Parade in Verplanck was welcomed by a sunny and humid day after early morning showers. The parade route, which began at Fifth Avenue and Broadway, snaked around Sixth Avenue ended at the Verplanck Firehouse. The 9-11 Memorial Steel, part of the structure of the Twin Towers, was at the forefront of the parade. The Steel was obtained by the Town of Cortlandt, and the villages of Croton-on-Hudson and Buchanan to create a permanent memorial to September 11.
The parade included the local American Legion William J. Boyle Post 1030 of Verplanck, the Montrose, Buchanan and Verplanck Fire Departments, local police departments and EMS, and local girl and boy scout troops.
Commander of Post 1030, Shawn OMara, said the best part about this Memorial Day celebration was the camaraderie. OMara continued that the recent events of Osama Bin Laden being taken brought the Americanism back into America. OMara was a navy medic, and was a veteran of Dessert Storm, where he was stationed in the Red Sea.
Trina Porter, who is currently a member of the National Guard and will soon join the Air Force, said I have lost friends, its a very somber time for me.
The most somber moments of the parade were felt during the short ceremony held outside the Verplanck firehouse. Linda Puglisi, Town of Cortlandt Supervisor, Joe Curry, the Chief of the Verplanck Fire Department and Commander OMara all spoke on behalf of the fallen heroes of wars and of 9-11.
The ceremony was ended by two students of Hendrick Hudson High School, Noah Ruff, sophomore, and Alex ODell, senior, playing Taps, on trumpet, the march usually played at military funerals and at ceremonies.
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